Resilience
by Mister Wonderful
Summary: AU. Gohan lost everything to the Androids, but he awakens by chance in the body of his younger self. What will Gohan, hardened by his life in the desolate future, do with his second chance? He'll find out as another threat appears. G/V. Rating may change.
1. Chapter I

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z.

xDBZx

Resilience

Chapter 1 – The Day the Whole World Went Away

"There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time."

-Malcolm X

xDBZx

"Excellent Trunks! Your form has improved tremendously!"

Gohan and Trunks were sparring on a cliff face outside of West City. Gohan was testing his student to see if he had practiced and found himself pleasantly surprised. Trunks was throwing skillful combos that he had just learned a couple days prior, and it made Gohan proud. With a final hit Gohan knocked Trunks, whom was drained from the intense sparring session, to the ground.

"Ok, Trunks, that's enough. How about we get something to eat?" Gohan said while ruffling his pupil's hair.

"Sure," Trunks replied as he smiled up at his mentor. The two flew back towards Capsule Corporation to have dinner with Bulma. The flight was quiet until Trunks interrupted the silence.

"Gohan," Trunks started, and then paused. Gohan turned to look at him, and found Trunks to be looking off in the distance.

"What is it Trunks?" Gohan asked. Trunks seemed to be trying to find the right way to say what he wanted.

"Do you really think we stand a chance?" Trunks asked as his voice slightly wavered. Gohan frowned at the amount of fear and sadness the single question contained. _It's not right,_ he thought, _for someone Trunks's age to feel that much fear. He deserves better. He deserves peace!_ Gohan stayed silent for a moment and then decided to answer Trunks's question.

"Yes Trunks, I think we really do stand a chance. I think I've almost caught up to the Androids' strength. Soon they will only be winning because it is two on one." He gently grabbed Trunks' shoulder and stopped their flight. "And even if I do fall, you will still be there."

"But what good can I do? I'm not even a Super Saiyan!" Trunks clenched his eyes in rage—and Gohan could also see a little shame.

"It will come with time; you just haven't found the right trigger. You come from a strong family, Trunks. I can feel you getting stronger every day. You're powerful, Trunks. Don't ever forget that." Gohan smiled down at the boy that was like his brother and gently squeezed his shoulder. Trunks surprised Gohan by throwing his arms around Gohan's waist and hugging him.

"Please don't ever leave me," he whispered. Gohan's heart broke at the amount of pain and fear in his voice. _I will do everything I can to make sure he never has to feel that way again!_

"I won't," Gohan replied as he returned the hug. Soon after, they resumed their flight towards Capsule Corp. Within a few minutes, the slightly damaged complex was in sight. _I still can't believe how much destruction those two Androids have caused. Have they no shame?_ Gohan's hands tightened into fists reflexively every time he thought about the Androids and all the horrible things they'd done.

"Mom! Mom, we're home!" Trunks called into the building as they entered the door. When there was no reply Trunks headed towards her lab. "She's probably working on her machine," he called out to Gohan. Gohan nodded and followed him.

They walked through a series of corridors, passing numerous doors until they came to the largest lab in the building. Trunks stepped up to a keypad next to the door and entered a code. The keypad beeped in recognition and allowed the two to enter the lab. Trunks had been right, as Bulma was busy typing furiously into a large computer. Apparently she had not heard them enter.

"No no no," Gohan heard her muttering. "It's by the square of the cotangent, you stupid computer! How can a computer not even know simple mathematics?" Gohan couldn't help it but laugh out loud at Bulma. The noise made Bulma scream and whip around to face him.

"Dear God Gohan, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" she roared. Trunks also started laughing. Bulma gave them both a glare as Gohan stepped towards the computer.

"How are things going with the time machine?" he asked, his curiosity piqued at potentially learning something new. He looked at the complex data displayed on the screen. To anyone else it would be confusing, but luckily he still remembered the advanced calculus and physics he had studied when he was younger. His eye caught a flaw in one of the equations on energy input and output; before he could point it out to Bulma, the program running on Bulma's computer corrected it, causing Gohan to appreciate Bulma's programming genius.

"Not so well," Bulma replied, shaking Gohan from his thoughts. "I've got most of the math down, and I built a prototype engine, but I was having trouble with finding a way to power it." She sighed and continued typing. "According to the calculations, in order to bend space-time we need something that can generate an intense gravitational field. But it also can't be too large, or else we could end up destroying the planet. The only thing I can think of that can power this thing would be a small but efficient nuclear fusion."

"And the odds of your being able to use just that are…?" Gohan questioned.

"Approximately zero," said Bulma with a sigh. "In theory the idea of time travel is very simple. But the harsh reality is that physics is demanding. To build a nuclear reactor small enough to power this ship…well, it would be a greater feat than building the time traveling engine. At least the engine's built, though."

Gohan thought for a moment. "What about my energy?" he asked. "Could I use my own life force to power the engine?" Bulma's nose scrunched in thought.

"Theoretically…I don't see why not. Except, I don't know what exactly your power is. My father and I did several tests on Vegeta back when he was…back in the day, but we still never actually figured out what kind of energy your power is. It's not electric, it's not heat, and it's not nuclear. Basically, it is an uncategorized energy source. It almost seems to transcend physics."

Before Gohan could comment further, his stomach gave a loud growl. In response to this, Trunks's stomach also gave a challenging growl. Bulma laughed.

"I swear you saiyans are always hungry. Well no wonder," she said as she checked her watch, "it's past dinnertime. Let's go get something to eat."

The three put the time travel project on hold and headed towards the kitchen.

xDBZx

The next day, Gohan and Trunks were out in the countryside, away from most of the Androids' destruction. Gohan was helping Trunks with his Super Saiyan transformation. Trunks was roaring with all his might, searching for the great depths of his saiyan power, but no transformation came.

"I can't do it," he said, panting from the exertion. "I'm not strong enough."

"Don't say that!" said Gohan. "You still just haven't found the right trigger."

"But weren't you a Super Saiyan already at my age? How am I ever supposed to be as strong as you? I stand no chance against the Androids," Trunks lamented. Gohan suddenly grew annoyed.

"Trunks!" he snapped. "Stop! Stop degrading yourself. So what if I was already a Super Saiyan at your age? I had a lot of motivation to become strong quickly. You _will_ become a Super Saiyan, I'll make sure of that. When my dad died, and when all of his friends died soon after, I was filled with so much pain and rage. I never, ever wanted to feel that way again. Soon, the pain became too much, and the rage just took control. I decided that I would _make_ sure that I never felt that way again. I would become powerful enough to prevent the deaths of those I love. And then, the transformation came. It was like flipping on a light switch. Now, I want you to try something. I want you to imagine what you would feel like if your mother died, if _I _died. Take that pain, and make it your strength."

Trunks gave a fierce nod, desperate to obey his master and hopefully not disappoint him. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what he would feel like if things happened the way Gohan described. In all honesty, he couldn't imagine his life without his mother or Gohan. They were always around to help him. He would be so lost if they died. He wouldn't be able to live. Without Gohan around, the Androids would come and finish off the rest of the country. Trunks would die. _But if I can become a Super Saiyan, I can prevent that,_ thought Trunks. _I will crush the Androids. I'll kill them for what they've done to the world. What they've done to Gohan. They killed all his friends and his mother. I would never want to feel that way. I would fight them to the death if they threatened Mom._ But you're not strong enough, a little voice in Trunks's head whispered. _No! I am strong enough._ They will come, and they will kill you. Just like they've killed everyone else.

"Come on, Trunks! You need to be angry! You need to want to bring justice to those who have wronged you!" Gohan instructed. Trunks' chi gave a sharp rise.

_I _am _angry! I hate them! They've killed everyone!_

If not even your father could stand up to them, how can you? The annoying voice taunted.

A raw, gnawing feeling began to rise up in Trunks' chest. He could feel himself reaching a barrier…now all he had to do was push through it. His heart was filled with powerful emotion, and he _felt_ in a way he could not describe. He was so close…a bolt of golden lightning flashed past his vision.

But then he was on the ground, completely drained of energy. Whatever he had done had taken all of the strength out of him. He never imagined that becoming a Super Saiyan was that tough.

"Trunks, you almost had it, I could feel it!" Gohan's excited voice brought a smile to Trunks's lips. There was so much pride in his voice, so much _fatherly_ pride. He felt Gohan pick him up and stand him on his feet. He was smiling at him.

"Ugh, I'm so tired now," said Trunks. Gohan only laughed.

"It'll take a lot out of you until you completely master the transformation. If you keep going like this, you'll have it in no time!"

Just then, a large explosion erupted to the south. Instantly, Gohan's manner shifted. His warrior face was on, and he looked down at Trunks.

"Trunks, you need to get on home, I'll meet with you there later," he commanded. But Trunks only nodded. Years of attacks by the Androids, and the sight of countless mangled corpses, had resolved Trunks to following Gohan's command. When it came to Android attacks, he completely obeyed Gohan. He floated up in the air, being careful to mask his power as much as he could. He gave one last look at Gohan, and Gohan could see the tears in his eyes. This is how it always went. Gohan would stay behind to fight, and Trunks would leave, never quite sure if he would see Gohan again. It was the risk he had to take. Without looking back, he went home.

Gohan too raced away, but his flight path led him towards the Android attack. The explosion had occurred in one of the few cities left in the region. When Gohan arrived, there was only a large crater surrounded by tons of debris. There were screaming citizens running through the streets, desperately looking for cover. Gohan's heart rate increased from the adrenaline that began coursing through his system. He scanned the crowds from the air, looking for his two enemies. However, he could not find them.

The explosion was entirely reminiscent of an Android attack, so why weren't they around? They had been here, and they usually would stay until they got their fill of personally ending the lives of hundreds of citizens. Gohan felt a strange chill travel up his spine. Something wasn't right. This had been an Android attack, but there were no Androids. Why would they blow up a city and then not kill the remaining citizens?

There was a large power surge. It was Trunks! His power was building up massively, and Gohan could sense hate, loss, and fear. Suddenly, Gohan realized what had occurred. The Androids had blown up this city as a trap. But the trap wasn't for him, it was for Trunks.

Without a thought Gohan ascended to a Super Saiyan and raced off in the direction of Trunks.

xDBZx

While Gohan had gone off to fight the Androids, Trunks had returned home. He was careful not to fly too fast in fear of giving off too much power for the Androids to sense. Capsule Corp. was the one safe place left from the Androids. There was a large bunker deep beneath the ruined upper building, and it was in there that Gohan, Trunks, and Bulma lived. So far, the Androids did not know of where Gohan and Trunks lived, though probably not through lack of trying.

After twenty minutes of flight, Trunks could see the Capsule Corp. building. When he was a few miles away from the building, he landed in a secluded area and began to walk. He could not risk giving away the location of his home to the Androids, just in case they or anyone else was watching. He carefully maneuvered through the ruined streets, taking every back and secluded way he could, to limit his time out in the open. Finally, he reached the Capsule Corp. building and entered through a secret side passage.

As he was walking through the many corridors of the building, he began to get a very bad feeling. Something bad was going to happen, he knew. He did not know how, or why, but he knew. He reached the large blast doors that led to the bunker, and it was in that moment that he knew what was wrong. The doors had been torn away and left carelessly in the passageway. Those doors were over a foot thick of a titanium-steel alloy, and there were only two people in the world other than Trunks and Gohan who possessed the strength to so casually remove those doors. Trunks's stomach clenched in fear.

He raced down the passageway to the bunker, and as he did so, he reached out to feel his mother's life force. It was there, but normal. Trunks's heart skipped a beat in trepidation as he reached the door to his mother's lab. There was no sign of forced entry or damage. With a shaky hand, Trunks entered the security code into the lab door and prepared himself as it opened. He clenched his fists in anger and intense fear.

The door opened and revealed Bulma to be sitting in her chair in front of her large computer console. She was typing furiously into the system, and then turned around when the door shut with a clang.

"Oh hi kiddo, I didn't think you'd be back so early," she said, showing no sign of stress or fear. Trunks nearly sighed in relief—there was nothing wrong. His mother was perfectly fine. "Where's Gohan?" she asked, looking around as if expecting him to enter the room soon.

"He had to deal with some things: that's why I'm home," Trunks answered. He made his way over to another chair that was in the room, ready to relax when his mother gave a small squeak. Trunks turned around in confusion to look at his mother, but she was staring across the room. Trunks followed her line of vision and met eyes with Android Seventeen.

The two Androids were standing in the doorway of room, and each held satisfied smiles. Trunks began to shake in fear. _How could they be here? I was so careful!_

"It's rude not to invite us in, Trunks," said Android Eighteen, her eerie smile matching her brother's. She stepped closer to Bulma, and Trunks immediately moved to stand in front of her.

"Isn't that cute," said Android Seventeen. Android Eighteen giggled.

"It's so nice to finally see where you hide, Trunks," continued Seventeen, "and it's nice to finally meet your mother. I always wondered who could give birth to a little abomination like you." He stepped towards them.

"You stay away from her!" Trunks snarled, the anger in his voice clearly audible.

"Manners, Trunks. It isn't polite to yell at your guests like that." Seventeen took another step, with Eighteen beside him. Trunks lowered himself into a fighting stance.

"That's very precious, Trunks, but you and I both know you're no match for us," said Eighteen, her beautiful face belying the evil being that rested within. "Not even your friend can beat us, and he is far stronger than you."

"He'll kill you both!" said Trunks venomously. Bulma was shaking with intense fear behind him.

"I think not," said Seventeen, "and by the time he realizes where we are, it will be too late for him to save you and your mother. It'll destroy him."

"If you kill me," said Trunks, "you'll only make him stronger. He'll tear you two apart!"

"We'll see," said Eighteen. "But we don't want to kill you. Not yet, at least."

Seventeen continued where Eighteen left off. "First, we want to see how fast you are. Consider it a game." Seventeen disappeared from his spot by Eighteen. Trunks's eyes widened. Seventeen was extremely fast, and because he was an android Trunks could not sense him.

He was hit in the side of the head with a powerful strike that sent him careening across the room. The blow made him see stars. Before he could regain any bearing, Seventeen appeared in front of him and delivered a swift kick to his prone form. Trunks bit back a cry of pain at the strength. Android Seventeen then shot out another kick, but this time Trunks caught it. It hurt his hands—he thought they might be broken—but the pain aggravated him and made him stronger.

A white aura appeared around Trunks as his power rose. Android Seventeen smiled, and struck him again with amazing speed. Trunks tried to block it, but it made contact. He heard someone appear behind him and so he twisted and kicked. Android Eighteen caught it in her tiny hands and with great strength threw him up through the ceiling. Trunks stopped himself mid-flight and then flew back down through the hole in the ceiling. He shot towards Seventeen, who was the closest person, and delivered a powerful kick that would have killed any other being on the planet. Surprisingly, it made contact, but the Android hardly seemed fazed.

During all of this, Bulma remained where she was. They seemed to have forgotten about her in order to toy with her son. She was at a loss as to what to do. She did not possess the strength to hurt any of them, and she wouldn't be able to run. She didn't want to leave her son, though she knew she was absolutely useless in a fight, and even if she did run she wouldn't make it far before the Androids killed her too.

She watched as the androids tormented and mauled her only son. She could not help the tears that fell freely. This was not the way things were supposed to happen. They were supposed to be safe here, hidden in this bunker. But somehow the Androids had found them.

There was a large cry of pain, and Bulma noticed that Android Eighteen now had Trunks in a hold from which he could not escape.

"I tire of this game," she heard Android Seventeen say. "Let's change it up a little bit."

He sauntered over to her, grabbed her in a vice-like grip, and brought her to stand before Trunks.

"Trunks," he said, "I want you to say goodbye to your mother."

Trunks's eyes widened in alarm. _Gohan, I need you! Please help!_

"Don't touch her!" he snarled. His rage was increasing in intensity. But he knew what they were going to do, and there was no way he could stop it.

"Last chance," said Seventeen. Trunks made eye contact with his mother.

"I love you," she said. Trunks was about to say something, but before he could Seventeen sent a blast that went straight through Bulma's chest. Trunks screamed as she fell forward, her eyes turning blank as her life force evaporated.

"MOM!" he shouted, and he strained intensely against the hold Eighteen had on him. He gritted his teeth so hard that he felt they would crack. His sudden feeling of loss gave way to a feeling of fury that he had never before experienced. He was shaking uncontrollably, except this time it was not in fear but in anger. His breathing became rapid as the rage overtook him. His muscles tensed, and then began to bulge. He looked up at Seventeen, who was looking at him with a smirk on his face. He felt the barrier that had once prevented him from turning Super Saiyan, and with a terrifying scream of raw pain and loss he shattered it.

Seventeen watched in amazement as Trunks's blue eyes disappeared entirely, leaving only a void of white. Golden lightning crackled around him, and his hair lifted upwards and became a luminous gold. A golden aura pulsated around him. It was the same transformation that he had seen Gohan do numerous times but without all the emotional baggage.

With a cry Trunks tossed his head back and smashed into Eighteen's face. She let go of him, and he shot towards Seventeen. He cocked his fist back and delivered a powerful blow into Seventeen's stomach, who had been completely unprepared for the sudden change in strength. Trunks went on a rampage, landing dozens of blows on the Android.

But suddenly, the Android began blocking them, and soon Trunks was not making contact at all, despite his greatly increased strength.

"This is a nice transformation Trunks, but it's still not enough!" he shouted, and knocked Trunks into a wall. Eighteen then grabbed him, and bodily threw him towards her brother, who then kicked him powerfully in the chest. Trunks choked in pain, and coughed up a bit of blood.

"Gohan has had this silly transformation for years and he still hasn't beaten us. What makes you think you can?"

Trunks gave a feral snarl, and launched back into an assault with the Androids. He dodged their blows and managed to land a few of his own, but he could not gain the upper hand. Then, Seventeen grabbed him, kneed him in the stomach, and threw him to the ground effortlessly. He then raised his foot and stomped down on Trunks's chest, delighting in the sound of the scream of pain that followed. He gathered energy in his hand, and was just about to deliver a fatal blow when a figure burst through the wall and collided with him.

It was Gohan.

xDBZx

Gohan had been racing towards Capsule Corp. at breakneck speed. He had felt Trunks's large increase in power, and he had felt Bulma's life force slip away. The Androids must have gone to Capsule Corp., though Gohan didn't know how they knew where Bulma and Trunks were, and they must have killed Bulma. The resulting heartbreak had definitely put Trunks over the edge, and he had finally achieved the Super Saiyan transformation. However, the cost was far too great. It reminded Gohan sickeningly of how he had achieved his own transformation. The transformation was not worth the cost of his family and friends.

His feelings of hate increased towards the Androids. They had destroyed his life, and they had prevented Trunks from ever having a good one. The poor boy had been fighting and running his whole life. Much like Gohan, actually, but Gohan had always had hope. Gohan always had his father. Trunks didn't have a hero he could look up to, one who always saved the day. No, he was stuck with Gohan, who could not defeat the two Androids no matter how hard he tried. Gohan snarled in disgust. He was a disgrace to his father's legacy. Goku would have found a way to defeat them. Goku always found a way.

He was almost to Capsule Corp., and he could feel Trunks's life force also giving away. _Hold on just a little bit longer, Trunks. I'm almost there._

Finally, he was there, and he flew through the wall into the building and down into the bunker. He burst through the laboratory wall and flew straight into Android Seventeen, who had just been about to kill Trunks. Gohan didn't stop, and took Android Seventeen with him through several walls. He then grasped him more firmly, and kneed him in the chest with all the power he could muster. Seventeen doubled over from the blow, taken over by the awesome fury of Gohan.

Gohan continued his assault with a skill that came only from years of experience, and he landed many blows on the Android. However, Seventeen managed to regain his bearings and struck Gohan with a powerful kick to the chest that sent Gohan flying back into the room that held Trunks and Eighteen. He did not miss a beat, though, and flipped himself upright and immediately met the fist Seventeen had sent towards him with his own. The result was a powerful shockwave that sent dust and debris flying. Gohan countered with a swipe of his foot towards Seventeen's head. Seventeen dodged and sent his fist towards the back of Gohan's head as it was turned. Gohan had prepared for this, though, and leaned forward, causing the Android to overextend his arm. He kicked backwards with his foot and hit Seventeen in the face. But as he was moving back up he was hit powerfully in the side by Eighteen.

Trunks, having managed to somewhat recuperate, joined the battle too. Now that he was a Super Saiyan, he could more easily contend with the two Androids—and he was no longer a liability to Gohan.

They fought together for a long time, with Gohan ducking, twisting, and maneuvering with a grace that Trunks had never seen. He was so fluid, and his skill was so great that the Androids were unable to completely best him when facing him one on one, even though their power was greater.

Trunks, however, was not as skilled, and so he received many blows that Gohan would have been able to avoid. Also, the Super Saiyan transformation was beginning to wear on him, as he had not become accustomed to it like Gohan had. After a while, he was completely battered: covered with cuts and scrapes from the Androids and all the uncomfortable impacts with debris. Gohan and the Androids were fairing much better, though Gohan had more marks on him than either of the two.

Eighteen got a very powerful kick on Trunks that sent him flying across the room and made him see stars. Taking advantage of this, she raced towards him and began pounding on him while he was down. Gohan was occupied by Seventeen and could not help. He flipped backwards and launched a powerful blast at the Android. He simply pushed it aside, and it blew up part of the lab behind him.

Eighteen continued her assault on Trunks, who had managed to regain his feet. He ducked and dodged her blows, though he could never find an opening to throw an attack of his own. She was too fast.

Seventeen fired a blast in return at Gohan, and Gohan was forced to deflect it upwards so that it did not collide with Trunks, who was behind him. Seventeen did not hesitate and immediately swiped at Gohan's head with his foot, but Gohan ducked beneath it and swiped at Seventeen's planted leg with his own. Seventeen pushed the leg away with his own by using the momentum of his previous kick, planted it, and then pivoted, intending to catch Gohan with another kick. Gohan caught it, but barely. With a great heave he tossed the Android away, and sped after him so that he could keep Seventeen on the defensive.

Meanwhile, Trunks's defense was slipping as Eighteen assaulted him with her limitless endurance. With every attack she grew closer to wearing him out completely. Finally, she scored a hit on him that he was unable to block, and it held such great force that it knocked him out of his Super Saiyan transformation.

Gohan sensed Trunks's power drop immensely, but he was not the only one. Android Seventeen had also sensed it. He looked at Gohan and smirked. Somehow, Gohan knew exactly what was going to happen. He turned around and raced to Trunks's aid, but Seventeen was closer. Seventeen raised his finger and shot a blast at Trunks. Gohan sped towards it as fast as he could, trying desperately to somehow knock it out of the way. He wasn't fast enough.

The blast pierced through Trunks' chest. Trunks let out a small gasp as he looked down at the fatal wound. Gohan's heart stopped in his throat as he saw Trunks cough up some blood and collapse to the ground. Everything seemed to slow down for him. All he could concentrate on was Trunks' look of shock. Slowly, unbelievingly, he reached the boy. He gently touched him, in shock, unable to believe that the boy was dead. Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he gently cradled Trunks to his chest. His sobs began to grow louder as his entire body shook in emotional pain. "Trunks…" he whispered, "I failed you. I failed you. You were my little brother Trunks. This wasn't supposed to happen…you weren't supposed to die…"

"Aw would you look at that Eighteen. He's crying. How weak. No wonder he wasn't able to save that stupid kid. He's too weak." Android Seventeen began laughing at Gohan. Eighteen too started laughing, and joined in on the taunting.

"Do you _miss_ him, Gohan?" said Eighteen in a child-like voice.

Gohan ignored the jibes by the Androids. He was a fighting a battle inside his mind. There was so much pain….so much rage…so much _hatred_ inside his heart. _I've failed. I've failed everyone. I let everyone die. Trunks, Bulma, Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Piccolo, Krillin, Vegeta, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu. I wasn't strong enough to protect them. Especially you Trunks. You were everything to me. My brother. This wasn't supposed to happen…_**"THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!"**

Gohan's roar was loud and long. It pierced the ears of the Androids, forcing them to clamp their hands over their ears. The ground began to shake beneath their feet. A fierce gust swept around Gohan and knocked the two Androids over. Bolts of lightning began to spark and crackle around Gohan's body, scorching the earth and destroying anything that wasn't a part of him.

"What's going on?" screamed Eighteen at her brother.

"I have…no idea," he replied, in awe of this display.

The roar continued on as Gohan's golden hair began to grow. His muscle mass increased significantly, as did the golden aura that flowed around him. The lightning increased in intensity, crackling hungrily around Gohan's body.

Suddenly, the wind died down and the Androids were able to get a good look at Gohan. He was now standing, and he was looking at the Androids, eyes dark and lips curled in a hateful sneer. The Androids looked into his eyes, and that's when they first began to feel fear. Gohan's eyes were darker than when he was just a Super Saiyan, and they burned with voracious power. They were glowing jade eyes of nightmare, and terrifying to behold.

However, Seventeen quickly regained his composure. "What an impressive display Gohan, but it doesn't change the fact that you're outmatched. You still can't possib-" he was cut off as Gohan's knee was shoved into his stomach. Seventeen was shocked by the power in that strike. It _hurt._

"What!" cried Eighteen. "I didn't even see him move!"

Suddenly Eighteen found herself in a pile of rubble. She had been struck in the side of the head by a punch and launched downwards. The attack left her dazed and confused for a couple moments.

"Don't tell me you're down and out already," said Gohan maliciously. The two androids were shocked by the amount of venom in his voice. It was scary.

"How-how did you do that?" demanded Seventeen. "You couldn't possibly be this strong! How are you doing this?"

A smirk crept onto Gohan's face. "Doing what?" he asked as he phased in front of Seventeen and punched him in the face. "This can't possibly be hurting you, can it? I thought you were strong!"

Gohan was waiting for Seventeen as the force from his punch rocketed the android forward. When Seventeen was near, Gohan stuck out his fist and jabbed the android in the center of the back. The force from the blow made the android's hands almost touch his feet as he bent over Gohan's fist.

Eighteen, seeing what had happened to her brother, sped forward and cocked her fist back in a position to punch. She was just about to release and knock Gohan into the air when a strong hand suddenly appeared around her throat. Eighteen had to stop her offensive as the hand began to crush her neck. She grabbed Gohan's thumb in one hand and his other fingers in her other hand and tried to pry his hand off, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not force his fingers to budge. Any other person would be cradling broken fingers, but Gohan was completely unaffected.

Eighteen winced as Gohan suddenly turned to face her, and shifted her closer. His eyes were glowing so brightly and held so much rage that she would have squeaked in fear had she been able to. There was no mercy in those eyes. This was not the same person she had fought and beaten so many times before.

She cried out in pain as Gohan snarled and tightened his grip. His grip was so _strong!_

"You are weak," he growled. He held Eighteen higher up in the air with his left hand with no effort. Suddenly, he grabbed her left wrist in his right hand and squeezed. Eighteen cried out in pain as her wrist was crushed. Although she was an android, she still had a majority of real tissue, and that tissue could feel pain.

"Oh, does that hurt?" Gohan asked with a sadistic smile. Eighteen cried out again, pleading for him to stop. "I'm sorry. How about you let me give you a hand with that? Or, perhaps, I can _take one away!_" With a quick and powerful tug of his arm, Android Eighteen's arm was ripped from her body. She screamed in pain and Gohan loved every second of it. He threw the useless appendage to the ground and shoved a fist into her gut.

Seventeen, who had regained his bearings, had seen the whole thing. "You MONSTER!" he cried out, incredibly furious at what Gohan had done to his sister. Gohan suddenly spun around to face the male android, his expression full of rage.

"What did you just call me?" he snarled. He threw Eighteen to the ground and phased in front of Seventeen. Before Seventeen could even blink there was an elbow in his face. He was launched backwards and then was met by Gohan's foot. Then, quicker than the eye could see, Gohan brought his fist down on Seventeen's body and launched him into the ground. Not a second later Gohan grabbed Seventeen's foot and spun to gain momentum. With incredibly precise aim he released Seventeen, who then bowled over the sobbing Eighteen.

Gohan was bloodcrazy.

There was no stopping his fury.

He was _relentless._

"STOP!" Eighteen cried. "Please just stop!" Her tears were thrown away as Gohan backhanded her across the face. The fury in his eyes was horrifying.

"You want me to stop?" he asked in a deadly whisper. "You, who have taken everything from me, now wish for _me_ to stop?" He let out a humorless chuckle, and then swiftly resumed his venomous glare. "Your logic is astounding. Everything is all fun and games when you are at the top, but as soon as you are brought down to the bottom, it is suddenly not fun anymore. I suppose there is some human left in you two after all. But soon, it will be dead. You will be dead."

Seventeen, who looked furious throughout Gohan's speech, suddenly fired a succession of blasts. He poured as much power into them as he could. When they impacted, he was sure that he had killed Gohan and won. A voice suddenly spoke from behind him.

"Do you really think that you stand a chance?" Gohan said in a terrifyingly calm voice. Seventeen froze. _It's not possible…_

Gohan was suddenly in his face. Seventeen could not believe how much faster he had become with his new transformation. It was unreal. All he could do was stare blankly into Gohan's unforgiving dark eyes.

And then suddenly there was a pressure in his abdomen and back. His eyes fell from Gohan's, and saw the man's arm buried inside his torso. The room started to feel very cold and quiet. It was almost peaceful, really…

With an extremely quick movement of Gohan's foot, Android Seventeen's life was ended. Half of his face was caved in from the blow; he fell to the ground, dead.

Gohan looked down at the blood covering his arm, and smiled. The taking of a life only increased the power of his Super Saiyan form. Gohan felt euphoric as the rush of endorphins flooded his system. He felt _powerful_. He could decide whether the Androids lived or died. All the suffering they had caused could be ended because of _him._

He turned to face Eighteen in the ruins of Capsule Corp. She was the last remnant of the plague that had destroyed his life. He would destroy her.

He slowly stepped over to her broken form. She was barely recognizable, as her body was covered in dirt, bruises, and blood. It was fitting. Gohan had seen so many people look like this after an Android attack. There was such a thing as justice.

Picking her up easily by her neck, he brought her face closer to his, to examine in her last moments if she had any regret. He saw only fear and hatred. "Please," she whispered, "please don't kill me."

The one who had killed his little brother was now pleading with him. It disgusted him. Trunks was dead because of her kind. And now she wanted mercy from him. No, Gohan didn't play by those rules. Not anymore.

An eye for an eye; a life for a life.

His hand tightened around her fragile looking throat. For a second, Gohan almost believed it was a waste, to kill something so beautiful. But she was evil, and so she died quickly as Gohan crushed her cervical vertebrae, and Gohan tossed the lifeless body to the floor. He then sent two blasts, incinerating the remains of the two Androids. But the death of the two Androids did not satisfy his bloodlust. With an enraged snarl he threw countless blasts at the surrounding buildings. He then let loose an animalistic roar, unleashing all of his rage and hurt. With his pain came all of his power, unleashed in that terrifying roar. A golden glow began to surround him as he released more and more of his strength. His body was in terrible pain as it was slowly ripped apart by the heat of his power.

Gohan never noticed Bulma's machine began to sound loudly. He only continued to unleash his fury upon the world, and demonstrate his defiance to its injustice. And suddenly, the world was gone.


	2. Chapter II

Resilience

Chapter 2 – From the Ashes

"Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most."

-Buddha

xDBZx

The ground was cool and firm on his face. A light breeze caressed his body, and something tickled his nose. He opened his eyes but immediately closed them after being assaulted by sunlight. His head ached fiercely; every breath sent a throbbing pain that originated from the back of his skull. Reflexively, he tightened his hands into fists, only for a jolt of pain to shoot up his left arm. He hissed and tried to relax his body, which he realized also ached deeply. The greatest pain was in his chest, and the pain prevented him from taking deep breaths, though with every short intake of breath his nose was assaulted by a strong metallic scent: the scent of blood.

He forced himself to open his eyes once more, blinking a few times to clear his vision, and examined his surroundings. It took his muddled mind a while to process, but soon he noticed that he was lying on a bed of swaying turquoise grass; the scenery tugged at his memory, but his mind provided him with no further information. He pushed himself up, being careful to use his good hand, into a sitting position in order to get a better view of his surroundings and was immediately overcome by the urge to expel the contents of his stomach. After several long moments of short gasps for breath, each causing a sharp pain in his chest, he sat up again and looked around. He was sitting on a very small island and was surrounded by turquoise water. The scene was very familiar, and he knew he'd seen the surreal flora before. He was very dizzy, and he tried to remember why this place was familiar.

His eyes grew wide. He knew this place. It had been a long time since he had been here—hadn't it? This was the planet Namek. But Namek had been destroyed years ago. At least he thought it was destroyed. He could not focus on any thoughts: the harder he tried to remember, the quicker the memories slipped away. He was scared.

A rush of adrenaline surged through his body. The pain in his body was dulled for a moment and he tried to stand up, only to realize that he could not feel his legs. As he examined them, he was glad that he wasn't able to. Both legs were noticeably broken; his left shin was snapped at the midpoint, leaving the lower part of his shin perpendicular to the upper; his right foot was twisted backwards, and his femur had snapped and pierced the skin. He heaved again, and was met with great pain in his chest once more. He ascertained that his ribs were also broken, and judging by the pattern of his breathing, at least one had punctured a lung. He then examined the arm that was useless: it too was noticeably broken, the proximal end of the ulna having pierced the skin. That injury he could definitely feel, and with every small movement of that arm he grit his teeth in pain. He must've damaged a lumbar vertebra to leave his arms with feeling but his legs paralyzed.

Finally, the pain was too much—the throbbing in his head was making him nauseated—and he slowly lay back down. He closed his eyes in thought. He was dying, he was sure of it. The only problem was that he didn't know why. The pain in his head was making it very difficult to think. His strength was leaving him, and he could feel darkness descending on him. He did not want to die, didn't even know why he was like this. His brain was too muddled to remember anything, or perhaps he didn't even have anything to remember. He didn't know, but soon his thoughts and worries all came to an end as darkness finally overtook him.

xDBZx

He was warm. He welcomed the warmth. It was driving the pain away. Light shone through his eyelids, but he did not want to open his eyes. He wanted to stay like this forever. The sensation was wonderful, like being in perfect comfort. But soon, the feeling ended, and the warmth faded away.

"Gohan?"

The voice sounded simultaneously very close and very far away. It was gentle. Who was that? And who was Gohan? He couldn't think.

"Gohan!" The voiced called again. Something was touching his shoulder, gently moving it. It sounded worried.

He groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Bright light assaulted his vision, but after a few moments his eyes adjusted. There was a face above him, looking down at him with worried eyes. It was small and green, with two long antennae protruding from its forehead.

"Gohan," it said, its face breaking into a smile. "You're all right!"

Slowly, he pushed himself into a sitting position. He was confused, and was surprised when the green thing gave him a hug. What was going on?

Then he remembered waking up earlier in terrible pain. The pain was gone now, and as Gohan—at least he figured he was the one called Gohan—looked at his body he saw that all of his injuries were healed. His legs were no longer broken, and to Gohan's amazement he could _feel_ them. His arm was back to normal, and he was able to draw breath with no pain. But how?

He looked at the green thing standing by him, and a name slipped forth from his memory: a very familiar name. This was no green thing but instead a dear friend. A friend he felt like he hadn't seen for a long time.

"Dende?" he asked, unable to hide the amazement from his voice.

"Yes, Gohan. I was so worried about you!"

Gohan struggled to remember more about Dende. He was a Namekian child, a healer, and one of his first friends. The last time he had seen Dende was…

Damn it! Why could he not remember?

At that moment, Gohan felt something odd. He did not know how to explain it. It was a visceral feeling; cold, primal, terrifying. The feeling was strong, nearly making Gohan stumble. What was that feeling?

Another name slipped forth from his befuddled mind.

_Frieza._

And with that name came a large influx of memory. He knew Frieza, knew him very well in fact. Frieza was a ruthless tyrant, a merciless warlord bent on universal domination. His very name was feared by billions of beings in the universe. He had no equal in power.

And he was killed seventeen years ago.

Gohan jumped to his feet as a surge of panic hit him. Dende looked at him curiously.

"Dende, what's going on?" he asked.

"You attacked Frieza," he said, eyes aglow with wonder. "You hit him with hundreds of blasts and knocked him to the ground."

That sparked a moment of recollection for Gohan. He remembered attacking Frieza. Krillin attacked Frieza, and Frieza responded by impaling him. Krillin had been hurt, and Gohan had been overwhelmed by a white-hot fury. He had lost all sense of control and had pounded on Frieza. But why did it seem so long ago? It had just happened, hadn't it? He was so confused.

"Was Krillin hurt?" he asked, aiming to compare his memory with the current situation.

"Yes," answered Dende. "Frieza stabbed him with one of his horns and threw him into the water. You were really angry and you started moving really fast. But, Frieza was only hurt a little! He attacked you and hurt you really bad. I was so scared!"

Gohan reflected for a moment.

"Is Krillin okay now?" he asked, voice tinged with concern.

"Yes. I got him from the water and then healed him, and then I came over here to heal you. Oh Gohan, I thought you were dead!" he said, and hugged Gohan once more.

Gohan remembered this situation vividly, but he could not figure out why.

Just then, Gohan had another strange feeling. It was like when he had felt Frieza's presence, only this time it was warm, gentle, comforting. He reached out to it. It had been overshadowed by Frieza, but now Gohan noticed it was clear as day. He knew the source of the feeling.

It was Krillin. But his was not the only one. Gohan was able to feel others. One was hard as steel, yet gentle at the same time. That was Piccolo. And there was another one. This one was darker, and Gohan could feel the cold in the presence. This one belonged to Vegeta.

How did he know this? He recognized these feelings, but he knew he hadn't felt them in a very long time. Though he did not know how, he searched for other presences.

And that's when he felt it.

His consciousness brushed up against a bright presence. This presence was warm, kind, and pure. It was strong, and it felt like…

Home.

He knew that presence. That was the presence of his father. A single tear slid down his cheek as he realized that he had been without this presence for a very long time.

And he finally understood _why._

The memories assaulted him, making him stumble onto the ground.

His name was Son Gohan, and he was twenty three years old.

He remembered that thirteen years ago, the bright and comforting presence disappeared. His father had died, the result of a lethal new heart virus.

Only a few months later, the rest of the familiar presences on this planet had also died. They were killed mercilessly, exterminated like insects. Murdered by the Androids.

_The Androids._

Gohan had been the only fighter to survive. And for thirteen years he had trained and fought, until finally he had died.

But not before those murderous beings had taken everything from him.

_Trunks._

He had lost Trunks. He had lost the person that meant the most to him. The Androids had cut him down. He had lost his brother.

He had lost his son.

Gohan choked back a sob. Tears swelled in his eyes, and a few managed to escape and fall onto the turquoise grass.

_17 raised his finger and shot a blast at Trunks. Gohan sped towards it as fast as he could, trying desperately to somehow knock it out of the way. He wasn't fast enough._

_The blast pierced through Trunks' chest. Trunks let out a small gasp as he looked down at the fatal wound._

He clenched his fist, grabbing onto the grass before him, trying to find some outlet in which to release his hurt.

After the Androids had killed Trunks, something had snapped in Gohan. His pain at the loss and his rage at the Androids had given him a strength he had never before felt, and he had crushed the Androids with no effort and without mercy.

But what did it matter? Trunks was dead. Everyone was dead.

But Dende was here. And so was his dad, and also Krillin, Piccolo, and Vegeta.

Gohan took a couple of deep, calming breaths. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Dende was looking at him with worried eyes once more. But Gohan paid him no attention. Instead, he looked down at the ground.

It was then that he noticed something strange. His hands were small. As he stood back up, he noticed that the ground was much closer also. In fact, as he turned to look at Dende, he noticed that he was the same height as the child.

This was not his body. His body was that of an adult warrior. This was a child's body.

Suddenly, Gohan threw his head back and laughed. He laughed so hard that tears swelled in his eyes once more.

"I'm insane," he said out loud, to the complete shock of Dende. "I am completely and utterly insane. With all things considered, it's very reasonable." He turned to Dende.

"Doesn't it make sense?" he asked the Namekian, who was completely bewildered.

"Gohan, what are you talking about?" Dende was frightened. This was not normal behavior from his friend.

"After everything I've been through, it's very logical. The only other explanation is that I'm in Otherworld. But if this is Otherworld, then where's King Yemma?"

"Gohan, you're scaring me!"

"Why are you scared, Dende? You're not real," said Gohan.

"Gohan, I don't think you're well," said Dende with concern.

"What does it even matter?" answered Gohan. Dende made to reply but Gohan cut him off.

"Come on," he said, "let's go see the others."

"I don't think we should go over there," said Dende.

"Fine, you can stay here, but I'm going to see the other hallucinations," said Gohan, who lifted into the air.

Dende, who was very concerned for his friend, followed him.

It took a few minutes to reach the others. Krillin and Vegeta were standing on an island, watching as Piccolo fought Frieza.

Gohan noticed that the tyrant was in his third form, and he was giving Piccolo a beating.

It was good to see his old master and friend again, but Gohan knew he was only a hallucination created by his shattered psyche. Gohan would take comfort in whatever he could.

He landed next to Krillin, and Gohan noticed a large hole in the man's Saiyan armor. That was where he had been impaled by Frieza's horn. Other than that, the human looked fine, except for his terrified expression. His eyes lit up when he saw Gohan.

"I'm glad you're all right, buddy," he said as he placed a hand on Gohan's shoulder. Gohan just nodded.

"Piccolo's not doing too well," said Krillin, who winced as he saw Piccolo take another vicious hit. "We won't last much longer unless your dad gets here."

He turned to look back at Gohan, only to realize that the boy was no longer next to him.

xDBZx

"You're no match for me, Namek. Not in this form." Frieza cackled in his hideous new guise.

Piccolo looked on in horror. The tyrant's power had doubled with this monstrous transformation. Before he could even blink he was hit in the face with a powerful blow. He collided with the ground at great speed. When he recovered, he spit out a wad of purple blood and then raced back up to meet Frieza head-on. He would stand and fight, no matter how powerful this new transformation made him.

Frieza cackled once more and disappeared before Piccolo could strike him. Before even a second had passed Piccolo was hit in the back by a strong swing of Frieza's tail. He managed to prevent himself from hitting the ground, and when he felt Frieza's presence appear in front of him he launched his fist forwards, only to be met by a firm block.

"Your speed is impressive for a Namek, but as I said, you are no match."

Piccolo cried out in pain as a fist appeared in his abdomen and he spit out more blood. He was then kicked in the back of the head, and then Frieza grabbed him by the arms and squeezed, crushing his bones. Frieza then fell from the sky and crushed Piccolo with his foot. Piccolo howled, the pain intense as Frieza began to pummel him, unrelenting and powerful.

Piccolo knew he was on the verge of death. There was no part of his body that didn't hurt. He was able to squint out of one damaged eye socket and saw Frieza step away from him and then raise his finger, preparing to deliver the final blow. Piccolo knew no one would be able to help him. Vegeta and Krillin weren't strong enough, Goku was too far away, and Gohan was all but dead.

Red light appeared on the tips of Frieza's fingers, and with a cold chuckle Frieza let the blast go.

But the blast never reached its target. In front of Piccolo stood Gohan, strong, sweet little Gohan, and he had knocked the blast aside. Piccolo had never been more proud in his life. However, he was terrified that Gohan's actions had cost the boy his life.

xDBZx

Vegeta, who had been watching the brat as he came near, was shocked when he saw the boy suddenly disappear. He heard an explosion and looked back at the battle between Frieza and the Namek. He was surprised to see the boy standing in front of the fallen Namek, his arm outstretched. He must've knocked the blast aside. Frieza was furious.

Foolish child. There would be no escape from death this time. He had been lucky to survive—obviously Frieza had overlooked checking to make sure if the brat were dead, and the little Namekian child must've healed him. He'd seen him perform the ability on the bald runt.

And that gave Vegeta an idea. Saiyans grew stronger when they recovered from near-death injuries.

If the brat were going to face Frieza, he would die. And after he died, the Namekian would be next, and then the rest of them. He couldn't let that happen. There was only one way to defeat Frieza—he must become a Super Saiyan.

"Baldie!"

The human turned around and looked at him with disdain. Vegeta beckoned him forth. The human, reeking of fear and trepidation, came closer.

"What do you want, Vegeta?" he snapped.

"Hit me with a blast," he said. The human's eyes widened.

"Why?" he asked, wondering if it was some kind of a trick.

"I need to become a Super Saiyan. It's the only way to defeat Frieza."

"Though I don't mind the thought of hurting you, what good would it do other than to make me happy?"

"Because, human," Vegeta began impatiently, "when one of my race is injured greatly, their power is also increased greatly. Shoot me with a blast, and then I'll have the little Namekian brat heal me."

"I don't think that's a good idea, you're the second strongest after Piccolo and if you die, we'll stand no chance."

"Just do it," Vegeta commanded. Krillin narrowed his eyes.

"No," he said, and he began to turn away. Vegeta, furious, launched himself at the human.

He stumbled as he felt an intense pain in his abdomen. He looked down and noticed a large hole burned through his midsection. The human had shot him with a blast, and it had been strong enough to go straight through his body. He collapsed to his knees as his strength began to fade away.

Krillin, on the other hand, looked at Vegeta in horror. It had been a reaction; he had seen Vegeta charging, so he turned and shot him before Vegeta killed him.

He was not horrified that it was _Vegeta_ that he had hurt; he was horrified that he had killed a man. He did not like to take life. However, there was nothing else he could do.

"I'm sorry," he said, and then he flew away.

Vegeta cursed him and reached out to shoot him, only to cough up blood and collapse onto his front.

The Namekian brat was not far away. He would have to crawl.

xDBZx

Gohan knocked the blast aside with his arm. It stung a little, but Gohan ignored it.

"What are you doing, kid?" he heard Piccolo call to him.

"Go get healed up," Gohan replied, "I'll handle this."

And it was true. He'd handle this figment that resembled Frieza. He had fought real demons; demons in his mind should be no different.

"I thought I'd killed you, boy," said Frieza, unable to completely mask his frustration.

"I guess you didn't do a very good job," replied Gohan.

"I'll make sure it's permanent this time."

Frieza did not bother with further dialogue. He rushed in to full out attack, intending to destroy Gohan. Gohan dropped into a fighting stance, preparing himself for Frieza's onslaught.

He dodged and blocked Frieza's hits, though he noticed that it was taking a lot of effort.

He didn't understand. Frieza should be easy to beat. He'd defeated beings far stronger.

Maybe it had something to do with his smaller body. It was limiting him. Perhaps this hallucination was similar to a dream in which no matter how fast he tried to run, he couldn't get anywhere.

His thoughts were disrupted as an elbow struck him in the face. The blow was very powerful, and Gohan felt something trickle down his face. In reply, Gohan kicked out with his foot, managing to land a strike in Frieza's gut. The tyrant doubled over, surprised at the force of the blow, and then phased out of view. Gohan could feel the lizard moving behind him, so he twisted around with the intent to hit Frieza with a backhand, but his fist was caught in Frieza's tight grip.

"Too slow," said Frieza with a vicious laugh. Frieza swung Gohan around and launched him into the dirt.

Gohan braced himself for the impact, but it still hurt. As he stood up, Frieza phased in front of him, and Gohan just barely managed to dodge a fist to the head. Frieza quickly spun around and smacked Gohan in the stomach with his tail. The air was knocked from Gohan's lungs and he was left vulnerable to a powerful kick that sent him into the ground once more.

He was getting angry now. He released as much of his energy as he could and then launched himself at Frieza with great speed. Frieza was unprepared for the great change in speed and took a full powered punch to the chin. He was sent careening into the air, managing to right himself after a few moments. He made to attack the boy again, but was struck by a powerful blast that exploded upon impact.

When the smoke cleared, Gohan noticed that Frieza was holding his arm in pain.

"You've become stronger, boy, but it won't be enough!"

A bright white light soon began to encompass Frieza. Red lines began to appear on Frieza's body. They crossed and lengthened like cracks in stone. The ground quaked and dust swirled in the air until finally Frieza's body erupted. When the dust cleared, the terrifying and alien form of Frieza was gone, revealing a small and slender humanoid. The small form, however, belied the great power contained within.

The new Frieza smirked at Gohan.

xDBZx

Vegeta gasped in pain as he neared the little green brat. He was using his power to heal the other Namekian. The brat shied away from him as he reached out with one hand, trying to grasp onto its robes.

"Heal me," said Vegeta. More blood trickled from his mouth.

"I—I can't," said the brat.

"Heal me!" demanded Vegeta. He could feel his life slipping away. If he did not get healed soon, he would die.

"You're evil!" cried the little Namekian. "I won't heal you!"

"HEAL ME, DAMN IT!" Vegeta had lost his patience. "If you don't, Frieza will kill us all."

The Namekian looked like he was considering it, taking it as the lesser of two evils. He looked at Piccolo, who nodded. Reluctantly, he held his hands out over Vegeta's wound. A bright light formed in his hands, and for a moment Vegeta wondered if perhaps the Namekian were going to kill him instead, but soon a warm feeling spread over his body and he could feel his strength returning. He was stronger than ever.

He got to his feet and kicked the brat aside. He looked at his body in wonder, noting the greatly increased strength.

"I've finally done it," he said, voice quiet in amazement. "I've finally become a Super Saiyan."

He turned to face the battle between Frieza and Kakarot's brat, and lifted into the air.

xDBZx

Gohan remained in his fighting stance, waiting for Frieza to make the first move. In this form he would be much stronger. Without his old strength, this fight would be very difficult.

Frieza drew in a deep breath, reveling in the power of his true form. Nobody had ever been able to touch him in this form. He would crush this monkey easily. But first, he had a problem to sort out. All of the fighters he had nearly killed had all been brought back to perfect health, and he now knew the cause. The little Namekian child was proving to be a thorn in his side.

He raised his finger, taking aim at the pest.

Gohan noticed this, and was struck with a strong sense of déjà vu. He knew what was going to happen.

As a red beam of light left Frieza's fingertip, Gohan raced toward Dende.

_17 raised his finger and shot a blast at Trunks. Gohan sped towards it as fast as he could, trying desperately to somehow knock it out of the way._

He would not let that happen again!

He reached Dende just before the blast did, and he swung out with his arm to deflect it. He grunted at the pain as the blast deeply burned his arm.

But that didn't matter. Dende was okay.

He looked at his arm. It would not function well anymore. He thought about having Dende heal it, but he felt another blast approaching, so he grabbed Dende and moved him out of the way.

"Get out of here!" he shouted. The Namekian child was terrified, but another shout from Gohan got him to move. He turned around and burst off into the air.

Gohan faced Frieza once more, only to realize that Frieza was no longer focusing on him.

Vegeta had decided to attack Frieza, but Frieza was dodging all of his strikes effortlessly. Gohan could feel Vegeta's frustration and hopelessness.

xDBZx

"So, Vegeta, have you decided to return to your master?" said Frieza with a smirk.

Vegeta ignored him. "This is the end of you, Frieza. I am a Super Saiyan!"

A white aura appeared around Vegeta as he summoned his power, and for a moment there was fear in Frieza's eyes.

"Yes," said Vegeta, "I can smell your fear. The Saiyan of Legend has returned!"

Vegeta launched himself at Frieza, letting loose a wild battlecry. Finally, he would be able to avenge his father and his people. He would return tenfold all the pain Frieza had given him. Frieza had a debt to pay, and Vegeta would collect in full.

He cocked his fist back and slugged Frieza in the jaw. The force knocked Frieza's head back, and for a brief second Vegeta was overjoyed.

But his hopes were dashed in the next moment as he felt a strong fist in his gut. He doubled over from the blow, clutching his stomach, the wind completely knocked out of him.

Frieza was smiling. He had not been affected in the slightest. Vegeta's so-called legendary power was still no match for his own.

With a cry of rage Vegeta hit Frieza once more. He landed blow after blow, and with each blow he noticed Frieza's smirk grow wider until it was a full-out grin. He roared in frustration and continued his assault, but he noticed that it was doing no damage to the being that had ruined his life.

A single tear escaped his eye as he realized the hopelessness of the situation. The Saiyans would never be avenged. Frieza would never pay for his crimes. No one had the power to stop him. The tyrant had taken him from his home when he was a child, had forced him to kill, to fight until he was near death. He had killed his father and his people. Vegeta was all that was left of a once proud race.

Except for Kakarot and his son. They held the Saiyan legacy in their blood. But could they succeed where their prince had not?

There was a sudden pain in his chest, and as he looked down he noticed a beam of red light that had pierced his armor on the left side of his chest, directly through his heart. Blood spilled from his lips once more, joining the dried blood that had been left over from his previous injury. This time death would come much quicker. This time there was no stopping it.

He fell from the air and crashed into the ground.

xDBZx

"Vegeta!"

Gohan saw it happen. He saw the death beam pierce the Saiyan warrior's chest. It was just as he remembered, and he had _done nothing about it!_

Even though Vegeta was a callous and cynical man, Gohan had grown to like him. He had gotten to know him better after returning from Namek, and the man was nothing if not interesting. He had been dealt a terrible lot in life and he did not deserve to die.

But what angered Gohan the most was that he should have known it was going to happen. He knew it was going to happen to Dende, and he had managed to protect his friend. But he had been unable to protect Vegeta.

Hallucinations or not, insanity or not, they seemed real enough. They felt real enough, and his feelings towards them were just as real as they had always been. Maybe this really just was all part of his imagination. Maybe his mind was locked in this reality while his physical body remained in his true reality—perhaps it lay amongst the ruins of Capsule Corp., slowly dying while his mind was distant. Maybe he was trapped in a nightmare, where his friends still died and he was unable to stop it.

Whatever the case, his feelings were clear. His hurt was real, and so was his _rage_.

He would stop Frieza. He would stop Frieza before he was able to hurt anyone else.

Through the haze of his rage, Gohan could feel his power growing. The ground shook around him and a great tumult arose. Gohan felt secure as the familiar gold aura burst into existence around him. Even in his dreams the transformation was as natural as breathing.

He faced Frieza through what he knew were jade eyes; jade eyes that held absolutely no mercy.

Frieza's end had come.

xDBZx

Meanwhile, many miles away, a man emerged from a rejuvenation tank. His brow was furrowed in worry. Something had happened to his son. At first, his son's presence had almost completely disappeared, and then it had returned with great intensity. And now, his life force was like a beacon, lighting up the entire planet.

He had finally woken from his induced sleep, fully healed. He was ready to face Frieza. Right now his son was fighting the evil being, and though Goku was proud of his young child, he was also terrified for his son's safety. He would protect his son.

He jumped into the air, not even bothering to wipe off the blue regenerative goo covering his body, and flew towards his son.

xDBZx

Vegeta looked on in awe in his final moments, reveling in the beauty of the sight before him.

The half-breed child had transformed. He was the true Saiyan of Legend. There was no doubt about it. A being of this power could only be called legendary.

And surprisingly, Vegeta felt nothing but pride. This half-breed child was a true warrior, a testament to his bloodline. With this child lay all the beauties and powers of the Saiyan race, the greatest warriors in the universe. The son of Kakarot would set him free.

"Gohan," he called, and the child turned to look at him. Vegeta beheld the powerful form of the warrior before him.

"He destroyed our race," said Vegeta. "He killed everyone on our home planet: the men, the women, and the children. None were spared."

"Gohan," he continued, obviously finding it hard to speak, "your grandfather tried to save us. He foresaw our destruction, and he faced Frieza alone. He—he was a great warrior. Gohan…"

He spat up more blood, and darkness overtook him.

xDBZx

Gohan turned back to Frieza.

The lizard was terrified. He had never seen this transformation before, and it scared him.

However, Gohan knew that he was still the weaker fighter in this form. But Frieza did not. He could not sense life forces.

Gohan phased out of sight and hit Frieza in the side of the head with a powerful kick. Before Frieza could recover he phased behind the lizard and struck him in the back. As Frieza was launched forward, Gohan sent a powerful blast after him.

He raced forward, intending to keep Frieza off-balance. As long as he did that, he should be able to overcome the difference in strength.

He met Frieza once more and delivered several powerful blows. Frieza was hit by the first couple, but managed to block the last one. He grabbed Gohan's wrist and then kneed the child in the stomach, and then knocked the child in the back of the head with his elbow. Gohan was sent hurtling towards the ground, but he managed to right himself before he hit. Unfortunately, that left him vulnerable, and Frieza pressed his advantage. Frieza struck Gohan again and again, relentlessly, and Gohan felt something snap in his body. He fed off the pain though, using it to increase his power in this form.

He broke away from Frieza's barrage by kicking him in the chin. Blood sprayed into the air from Frieza's cut lip. Frieza looked murderous.

Gohan gasped as Frieza's power jumped greatly.

"I guess I'll have to take it up a notch," said Frieza. He smirked, and his blood-covered face gave him the appearance of a demon.

Gohan knew that he didn't stand much of a chance now. This body was too weak.

_There is power beyond a Super Saiyan._

He could use the second transformation. That transformation had allowed him to surpass the Androids and destroy them easily. Though he was no match for Frieza in his first transformation, he should be able to easily crush him with the next.

A cry of pain reached his ears. Both Krillin and Piccolo had jumped into the fight, and he guessed that they were trying to give him time to recover. Neither of them stood a chance.

"Guys, get of here!" he shouted.

"No can do, kid," said Piccolo, "you need some help."

As Frieza continued his assault on Krillin and Piccolo, who managed to distract him and prevent him from attacking his true target, Gohan tried to remember how he transformed. It had been just after Trunks was murdered. He had been furious, he had been terrified, and he had been horrified. He needed the power for vengeance. He needed it to cast judgment on the Androids.

He recreated those feelings, convinced himself that he needed that power now more than ever. He needed it to protect Piccolo and Krillin. He needed it to avenge Vegeta. He heard screams. Piccolo and Krillin were both on the ground, heavily damaged. Frieza had finally broken through their defense. He was about to deliver the killing blow.

Something clicked. His strength magnified. He felt the great power come under his command once more. He felt the murderous desire, the need to tear something limb from limb.

And Frieza was the only target.

However, there was also pain. His body felt as though it were in flames. Gohan was struck by another memory.

_A golden glow began to surround him as he released more and more of his strength. His body was in terrible pain as it was slowly ripped apart by the heat of his power._

_Bulma's machine began to sound loudly._

Bulma's machine.

It was activated.

Gohan finally understood. He was not insane. This whole world was not created by his imagination. Instead, he had traveled through time. Bulma's machine had _worked._ As he had released his life force, it must've somehow powered the machine and sent him back in time.

Bulma said that it wasn't impossible. But could it be so fortuitous?

Everyone was alive again. He could feel them, could touch their bodies and their life forces. They were real. He was real. Everything was proceeding as he remembered from when he was five years old. He had traveled through time.

Yes, he reasoned, it could happen by chance. Or perhaps fate was not unkind.

Relief overcame Gohan; he felt light, as if he had been released from a heavy weight. He felt…happy. Though he did not know the specifics of how he had arrived back in time, or why he was in his younger body, he did know one thing: he had been given a second chance. He had been given the power to change the future. He would take it.

His mind returned to his present situation. He was surrounded by the burning pain, and he knew that if he kept it up he would die. His body was not strong enough to handle the power, and it was beginning to tear his body apart. The realization made him come to his senses. He had a chance to eliminate Frieza once and for all, and he would have to take it. He would have the presence of mind to stop Frieza now and prevent further loss of life, or perhaps even the destruction of the planet.

"Masenkoha!"

The bright yellow blast traveled straight towards Frieza. The blast washed over him.

Gohan's hair returned to its normal color as he fell to the ground, all his power spent in that blast. His body could hold it no more, and Gohan did not feel like dying. He crashed into the ground, relieved.

However, his relief was short-lived. Before the smoke even cleared, Frieza's presence returned, and Gohan had no time to react before there was a foot crushing his stomach. Gohan cried out at the pain.

"Look what you've done to me, monkey!" shouted Frieza. Half of his upper body was blown away, and one part of his face was blackened. He stomped down on Gohan again and again. Piccolo and Krillin were forced to watch the torture from a distance, each unable to move their bodies.

"Seems familiar, doesn't it monkey? This very same situation occurred only a few hours ago. This time…"

He gave another powerful stomp.

"You."

A rib snapped, and Gohan's breathing was limited once again.

"Will."

An arm was crushed as Gohan brought it up to protect against the attack.

"Die."

Frieza pinned Gohan to the ground with his large discalced foot. Gohan tried to pry Frieza's foot off with his good arm, but he did not have the strength to fight back. He merely met Frieza's eyes with his own and gave a murderous glare.

Frieza bent down and placed his finger on Gohan's forehead. It began to glow with red energy, and Gohan could feel the energy burn his skin. Gohan refused to close his eyes. Though he was completely spent and had no strength, he had the will of a warrior. If he were to die, he would die defiant. He spit on the only part of Frieza he could reach, his foot, but Frieza did not seem perturbed by the bloody fluid that contrasted his bleached skin.

Before the final blast could be released, Frieza was thrown to the side as a blue-booted foot was planted on his face. It was his father!

Gohan was overjoyed. It had been so long since had seen his father…and it felt amazing to look upon his face once more.

He was just as Gohan remembered him. Tall and strong, but he looked at Gohan with gentle eyes.

Tears formed in Gohan's eyes. Though mentally he was almost the same age as the man before him, he could not describe the way he felt about the man. This was his father, the man he had looked up to his entire life, the man he had emulated, and the man he had hoped to be. The man he had lost far too early in his life.

xDBZx

Goku looked down at his son and felt a terrible pain in his heart. His son was hurt, and it was all because he hadn't arrived soon enough. He reached down and cupped his son's cheek in his hand. There were tears in his son's eyes, and Goku knew he must be in terrible pain.

"I'm here now, Gohan," said Goku softly. "Everything will be fine."

His son replied with a choked, "I know."

Kami, Goku loved this child. Nothing could describe how he felt, and nothing else mattered in the world. He would do everything he could to protect the child.

A cry of pain reached Goku's ears and he spun around. Krillin was swelling like a balloon, and Frieza was laughing at him while pointing at him with his remaining hand. Frieza closed his hand into a fist, and Krillin exploded.

A beam of light entered Piccolo's chest, and he fell to the ground, blood spilling from the wound.

The world came crashing down around Goku.

He had not been focusing on the battle. He had not carefully examined the situation before entering the battle, and it cost him the life of two of his friends. No matter what, he would not let the same thing happen to Gohan. Absolutely not. He would protect Gohan with his life.

"Frieza!" he shouted at the cackling monster.

"FRIEZA!" he shouted once more, and this time Frieza looked at the Saiyan. His expression grew apprehensive as the ground began to shake.

Frieza had seen this before. It had enabled a little boy to harm him. What would a full grown Saiyan be able to do with its power?

Goku exploded in golden light.

As the light dimmed, Frieza saw the familiar golden hair, as well as the familiar menacing eyes. He took a step back in fear.

Unlike with the younger Saiyan's transformation, this Saiyan looked wild. The glint in his eye was predatory. There was no intelligence in those eyes, simply pure, wild ferocity.

Goku had never felt this much rage before. He wanted to tear Frieza apart. He wanted to eviscerate the monster that had killed his friends and harmed his son. He wanted to bathe in blood.

He attacked. Frieza was unprepared for the assault. Before Frieza could blink Goku was upon him. Blood exploded in a fine spray with every punch Goku threw. Goku could see nothing but red.

But the tyrant was not unable to defend himself. With a furious scream the air became saturated in power. His once lithe form was now bulky. His aura shone brightly with terrible power.

"Enough!" said Frieza. His red eyes were alight with malice.

When Goku charged again, Frieza met him head-on. Frieza slammed his own fist into Goku's and a large shockwave reverberated through the air. Their fists met again, and then their knees clashed with furious blows. Frieza caught Goku's next punch; because Frieza only had one arm, this movement gave Goku an opening. He slammed his knee into Frieza's unprotected and wounded side, relishing in the howl of pain from his enemy.

Frieza dropped to the ground, clutching his side in agony. Goku drank in the sight. With each pained breath, Goku grew stronger. He extended his finger and shot little blasts at Frieza with only enough power to burn the skin. He felt giddy. He had the power to cause pain to the most powerful being in the universe.

Or at least, he reasoned with a grin, the second most powerful being.

A voice broke through his foggy mind. It was his offspring.

"Dad," said his son, "I know how you're feeling right now."

Goku growled. He did not want to do anything other than cause pain. Death was too quick for an evil being; the enemy must suffer.

Gohan continued. "You feel furious. You want to destroy. You hunger for causing pain."

Goku smiled. He felt all those things, and soon he would fulfill all his primal desires.

"You can't let the transformation take control. You can't attack blindly. If you do, you will want nothing more than to make your enemy hurt. The enemy will stop at nothing to kill you. The enemy will resort to something drastic."

Goku turned away from his son, tired of the lecture. He wanted to cause pain, and he would do so. Only once he were finished would he finally kill. But first, he needed to savor the sweetness of agony. Energy gathered in his palm and he released it. It barreled toward Frieza's prone form. It was not enough to kill. Its purpose was to maim.

"No!" shouted Gohan. He grabbed Goku's wrist with his good hand and held him back. Goku snarled at the contact and threw him off. Gohan collided with the ground and gasped in pain. The angry haze clouding Goku's mind was broken, and he was overcome with horror.

He had just hurt his son.

What kind of monster was he?

"I'm so sorry, Gohan," he said. He got down on his knees and reached out to his son with trepidation, expecting him to shy away from contact. Goku had never hit him before, except during training sessions. He was surprised when Gohan merely gave him a tired smile.

"It's okay, Dad, I know what it's like. You can't control your anger. But you have to."

Goku had never seen his son so serious before. His heart swelled with pride. He felt light, as if freed from a terrible burden. His mind was now clear, and his fury had melted away. The last few minutes seemed like a dream. He felt as though he were watching from another person's eyes.

His son continued speaking.

"You must destroy Frieza before he does something drastic."

"But even he must be given a chance to reform," said Goku. It was against his nature to do otherwise. Everyone deserves a second chance. It was the right thing to do.

"No," replied Gohan, "he will never change. Sometimes, Dad, a person just can't be helped. Frieza is one of those. I know it goes against everything you believe in, but you must destroy him before he destroys us all."

Goku was interrupted from replying by a dark and menacing chuckle. He spun around to see Frieza standing once more, arm raised and index finger extended. He rose into the air. In his eyes was madness; there was no sign of awareness. The echo of his eerie laughter sent chills running down Goku's spine.

Upon Frieza's finger was a ball of energy that was rapidly growing in size. The dark purple and orange energy crackled, and Goku could feel its sinister intention. The ball soon became large enough for its periphery to ignite the blades of grass on the ground.

"Dad!" shouted Gohan. Goku turned to him. His son's eyes were wide with horror.

"You have to destroy Frieza NOW! That attack will destroy the planet!"

Goku couldn't contain his surprise. If Frieza could not destroy the Saiyan one-on-one, he would destroy the whole planet and kill everyone. Goku knew what he had to do. He cupped his hands together.

"Kame," he began to chant as a spark of blue energy gathered in the space between his palms.

"Hame." The blue energy swelled in size as it gained power. Goku took careful aim.

"You will all be destroyed!" cried Frieza with glee as he flung his arm forward. The giant ball of energy flew through the air.

Goku watched as it grew closer. It was a dark moon in the sky, filled with the power to end the world. Goku waited for the right moment. He could feel Gohan's trust in him, and it gave him strength.

"HA!"

The blue energy of his signature move met the planet-destroyer head on. The collision brought the ball to a halt and then slowly began moving it in the other direction. Frieza's laughter soon changed to cries of terror as his own attack, multiplied by the strength of Goku's, collided with him. He held out his hand and braced for the attack, but the energy bypassed his defense and consumed him. His voice faded out as his life force vanished.

Back on the surface of Namek, Goku panted as his strength disappeared. He used up most of his energy in that last attack. However, he managed to walk over to his son. Gohan had managed to climb to his feet and he now stood on unsteady legs, but he gave Goku a genuine smile when he neared.

"That was amazing, Dad," he said. Goku ruffled his son's hair and then picked the boy up. If Gohan were in any pain, and Goku was sure he was, he didn't show it.

"_Goku!"_

Goku startled, and Gohan looked at his father curiously.

"King Kai?" he asked.

"_Yes. I've been trying to contact you but you kept blocking me out."_

"Oh, I'm sorry, King Kai," Goku said a little sheepishly. Gohan smiled at the way his father could transform from a fearsome warrior to an affable child. Goku the warrior and Goku the friend—two sides of the same coin.

"_Kami gathered the Dragonballs and wished Guru back to left. Guru is going to summon the Dragon and wish those killed by Frieza back to life, and then he will wish you home."_

"Wait, Kami summoned the Dragon? Piccolo's alive?"

"_He's not dead yet. Anyways, I need to go. Do you understand the plan?"_

"Yeah, King Kai, it sounds great!" The connection ended.

"What did King Kai say, Dad?" Gohan asked.

"Kami gathered the Dragonballs and wished Guru back to life. Guru's going to use the Namek Dragon to wish us home."

Gohan nodded at the explanation. He rested in his father's arms.

He gave a contented smile. He was going home.

xDBZx

AN: Ok so here's Chapter 2. This is the third rewrite of this chapter, and I hope it holds up to the quality of the last chapter. Though this chapter is several pages longer than the first, this chapter seems to read much faster. I don't know why. Maybe it's just my style. As you may have noticed, I edited the first chapter for mistakes and I also added a quote. I tried to find quotes that had some relevance to the idea expressed in the chapter. I hope you, my readers, enjoy them.

Also, this story so far has been entirely self-edited, so I apologize for any errors. I think I may look for a beta, so if anyone's interested just let me know. If you have any questions, ask me. Please tell me what you think of my narrative style, my plot, my characterization, et cetera.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter III

Resilience

Chapter 3 – Welcome the Dawn

"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."

-Alexander Graham Bell

xDBZx

"Brother!"

"Sister!"

The two collided in a large hug in the commons of the orphanage. The girl grabbed her brother's shoulders and pulled away slightly.

"You must tell me about your day," she exclaimed. Her brother smiled, though it was diminished at the sight of bruise lining her eye. He clenched his fist in anger but forced himself to be calm for his sister.

"Of course, dearest sister, but first I have something to show you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace.

"Brother! Where did you get that?" she asked, slightly suspicious. Her brother smirked at her.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you think. I've been working longer hours at the shop and I saved up some money. I got it for you," he said as he handed her the necklace.

"You're good to me, brother," she said as she placed the necklace around her neck. She then took her brother's hand in her own.

"Come, brother, today is about us," she said as she led him away.

They wandered around the city for hours. They window-shopped, and the girl even tried on some clothes. The brother pulled out some money and handed it to her, but the girl would not accept.

"I can't take that, brother, it's yours. Besides," she said as she fingered her new necklace, "you already gave me a beautiful gift." She kissed her brother on the cheek.

"Come," said the brother as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "let's walk around the park."

The siblings walked along the path in the park, laughing merrily. They were having a good time and cherished the moments they had together. Life in the orphanage was tough, but whenever they were together their problems seemed to slip away. In a few more years they would be old enough to move out of the orphanage, and the brother had been working hard to save up for that moment.

"Do you remember when we ran away?" the sister asked quietly. The brother frowned.

"Yes. The headmistress made sure I'd never forget," he said with a dark scowl. He pulled his sister closer.

"Next year we'll be able to leave for good," she said. The brother was lost in thought for a moment until his sister tugged his arm, pulling him towards a small pond in the park. Her dark mood seemed to have vanished, and he was curious about what had caused that moment, but as he looked at the smile on her face he found that his dark thoughts lightened a little bit too.

Eventually, night began to fall. The siblings left the park and began to walk to their final entertainment destination for the night. The brother grabbed his sister by the hand and led her to a large, unkempt building on the edge of the city limits. The sister gave an audible sigh of exasperation at the sight, knowing what was inside the building, but the brother knew that she enjoyed it. They snuck through a broken window in the back, and followed a familiar path to their destination. They came upon a small vent, and the brother quietly pushed the cover aside. Beyond the wall was a large room. In the center of the room, a rectangular pit was cut from the floor, and surrounding the pit were dozens of cheering individuals. In the pit were two men fighting, both shirtless and covered with scrapes and bruises. Each time one of the fighters gained a hit on the other, half the crowd would cheer while the other half would shout and throw their beer bottles, enraged by the failure of the man they'd bet on.

Watching the fights was a rare but welcome experience for both siblings. Both enjoyed the fights—the brother dreamed of becoming a great fighter, while the sister simply enjoyed being a spectator.

"See that man, sis?" said her brother as he pointed at the shorter of the two fighters. "They call him the Hurricane. He may be small, but he is fast!"

The sister watched as the shorter man dodged many of the strikes from his larger opponent and struck back with quick jabs that she could barely see. When the larger man gave a particularly powerful punch, the shorter man dodged it and grabbed onto the overextended arm. From there he kicked the larger man in the side of the knee, causing it to buckle, and with a powerful punch across the jaw the larger man was knocked unconscious.

"He's going to win all his fights, no problem!" her brother exclaimed in excitement.

And he was right. The man known as the Hurricane went on to win all his fights, and though by the end of the night one of his eyes was swollen shut and two of his teeth were missing, he gave a wide, toothless grin in victory.

Because the fights were over, the sister made to leave, but she was held back by her brother.

"Not yet sis," he said with a grin, "I'm going to meet him!"

"What?" cried the sister. "What makes you think you can meet him?"

"C'mon, it'll be easy. We'll wait here until the crowd clears out. He's going to be back in the manager's office, picking up his winnings. We'll go around front and catch him on his way out."

The sister, seeing the excited look on her brother's face, gave a reluctant sigh and acquiesced. They stayed in their spot while the crowd thinned out, and after a short while they snuck back out through the broken window. As they entered the alleyway behind the building, however, they heard the sounds of conflict.

"Hey man, what's your problem?"

The twins gasped in shock as the victorious fighter, the Hurricane, was tossed up against the alley wall by a much larger man. The man had pale, unnatural skin that made the man look as though cut from stone. His chest was broad, and his arms were as thick as tree trunks. His hair was an inky black, and it was tied in a braid that went down past his shoulder. Over his other shoulder was a leather epaulet, fastened by a leather baldric.

The Hurricane recovered from his impact with the wall and delivered a powerful punch to the man's stomach, only to cry out in pain as a loud crack echoed in the alley. He cradled his broken hand close to his chest and shrunk away from the large, rock-solid man. He turned to run out of the alley, only to feel a hand around his throat. He was lifted off the ground, and his vision began to blur as the hand constricted his windpipe. His face was forced closer to the larger man's.

"Scan complete," said a deep, mechanical voice, "subject not compatible with system requirements."

The Hurricane's eyes widened in pain as a hand pierced his body and severed his spine. Within a few moments, the body went slack. The large man tossed the body aside and then raised his hand.

The twins gasped in shock as a bright flash of light incinerated the body. The man heard the gasp and turned to face the siblings. The brother stepped in front of his sister, shielding her from the larger man.

For a moment the large man stood, unmoving, simply watching the two teenagers. Both twins felt as though they were being evaluated—examined for some sick purpose unknown. Then, before either of the siblings could blink, the man was in front of them, and the brother felt a sharp sting in the side of his neck. He reached up with his hand and pulled out a needle, then collapsed to the ground. The sister felt a pain in her neck then too, and next her world turned black.

xDBZx

The brother woke to a blinding light. He was forced to close his eyes, then slowly open them again as he adjusted to the light. His vision swam into focus. He had a terrible, pounding headache, and the reflectivity of the sterile, whitewashed walls did nothing to ease the pain. There was a soft clicking in the background. He attempted to sit up, only to find that he was unable to move. He began to panic and struggle as fear overrode his senses.

"Relax, my friend."

A calm, sophisticated voice reached the brother's ears, as did light footsteps. In front of him appeared a man, old and wizened, but with a clinical, piercing stare. The man stepped to his side and began typing on a computer pad. His body began to move: he had been lying supine, but now it was as though he were standing, save his feet were slightly elevated off the ground.

He was in some sort of harness that reminded him of a psychiatric ward for the violent. Metal fastenings held his arms, legs, and torso in place. A large ring surrounded his neck.

"Where am I? Who are you?" the brother asked. "Let me out!"

The man chuckled, but he reached out and grabbed the brother's face and with a flashlight began examining his eyes.

"My name is Gero," the man said. He entered some data on the computer pad.

"Let me go," the brother demanded.

"You'll be free once I finish my experiment," said Gero. A cold chill swept through the brother's body. Experiment? What kind of experiment?

"What experiment?" the brother asked.

"You and your sister are going to be part of something great. Extraordinary even. You will herald the new age of the Red Ribbon Army!"

Sister! Where was she?

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"She's asleep now, behind you." Gero pressed a button on the computer pad and the brother was rotated to face the back of the room. He could see his sister clearly now. She was in a large glass tube, filled with a strange green liquid. Her eyes were closed, and her naked body was suspended in the fluid.

"Cover her up!" cried the brother, shocked at the sight of his sister. "What have you done to her?"

"She's fine. And I have done nothing but place her in stasis. You see, you will be the first part of the experiment. She will be later."

The brother struggled with the restraints, desperately wishing he had the strength to break free. This man was sick! He needed to get his sister out of here. But the metal was too strong and did nothing more than cut into his flesh.

As the boy struggled, the man called Gero watched him with clinical indifference, every now and then notating observations about the boy. The brother gave a pained howl as he looked at Gero with furious eyes. Gero pressed a button on the datapad, signaling the release of a drug into the IV connected to the boy.

He placed a hand on his forehead, watching as his eyelids began to droop. "Sleep now, my boy, and do not worry. Soon, you will be great!" He frowned, deep in thought over his newest experiment.

Gero then moved to his computer and began typing furiously into the keypad. Dozens of images appeared on the display—mainly schematics for a new type of cybernetic organism dubbed the Seventeen series. He pushed those files to the side and entered a command. A new file appeared, this one called _Spybot Data Uplink_.

The display was filled with information including a video segment. Gero activated the video. He'd seen it many times before, but each new viewing brought him immeasurable excitement.

_Frieza cast the one called Vegeta aside and then executed him. The ground began to shake, and Gohan, son of Goku, was illuminated in a flash of brilliant light._

Gero stopped the video. Yes, this was very interesting. Who would have known that the boy would have such great power? It was incredible. He closed that video segment and opened another. This one showed Goku undergoing the same transformation. The scanner on his Spybot had ceased to function because of their awesome power.

How fortuitous that he had sent the Spybot with them to Namek. Not only had he gained insight into interesting technology from Capsule Corporation but also knowledge over the strength of his enemies. Had he not done so, his new projects might have been unprepared for great increases of strength such as what he had just witnessed.

Now, however, he would augment his new Android design, and Goku, Gohan, and the rest of those fighters would not stand a chance. His Androids would crush the life out of those alien beings, and Dr. Gero would get his revenge.

The Red Ribbon Army would rise once again!

xDBZx

The gentle gold light washed over him once more, leaving a warm, pleasant feeling in its wake. Gohan stood, fully healed and feeling great. Dende laughed; glad to have aided his friend once again. The healing was becoming easier with each person he healed.

A hand rested gently on his shoulder. Gohan looked up to meet the eyes of his father. Before Gohan could react, Goku lifted him up and placed him on his shoulders. Being twenty-three years old, Gohan was more than a little embarrassed; but, this was overshadowed by the vast desire he had to interact with his father.

From atop his father's shoulders, Gohan looked upon the group gathered in front of them. The Namekians, along with their leader Guru, were assembled on the lawn of the village elder Moori. Almost all of the Namekians, along with Vegeta, had been restored by Earth's dragonballs. Now they were receiving praise from the Namekians for their victory over the tyrant Frieza. Now, the time had come for Guru to summon the Namekian dragon and wish them back to Earth.

While he waited, Gohan reflected on how different this reality was. In his own reality, planet Namek had been destroyed, and Goku had been lost in space. Now he was here, on a stable planet, sitting on top of his father. It was unreal. Already it seemed as if he had been here for a lifetime, but it had only been less than a day. In less than a day he had changed the course of history—and hopefully for the better.

Guru began speaking in his native tongue, dragonballs gathered before him. They pulsed with light, and the sky seemed to blacken as though the magical spheres had siphoned all the light from the sky.

As Gohan looked at the darkening horizon, he felt his mood begin to mimic the sky. As happy as he was right now, it would not last.

The battle was not over. Darkness loomed on the horizon.

Even though Gohan was here with his father—had saved the planet from Frieza and rescued his friends—the future was not bright. Gohan's stomach flipped as he thought of just what the future had in store.

The heart virus.

He would deal with the Androids when they came, as he knew he could destroy them, but no amount of power could stop the heart virus.

All the elation in Gohan's heart vanished. His father was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. It didn't matter that he had traveled back in time. That wouldn't stop the heart virus from infecting Goku. He had traveled backwards in time for nothing.

No!

He would not think like that! He had not survived one desolate future to trade it for another. Gohan had power. Gohan had intelligence.

He would solve this problem.

He looked back out to the horizon, resolute in his goal.

Then the wish was made, and he was returned home.

xDBZx

It was surprisingly difficult, Gohan found, to stand on the freshly mowed lawn of the Capsule Corporation complex. There was too much memory…too much pain. Everywhere he looked he saw people smiling and welcoming the group home. His eyes settled on Bulma and a great pain tugged at his heart.

"_I swear you saiyans are always hungry. Well no wonder," she said as she checked her watch, "it's past dinnertime. Let's go get something to eat."_

Just yesterday she had been dead and now she was alive.

His eyes moved on to others around the complex. Dr. Briefs and his wife were here—Bunny had been in a city the Androids targeted; the doctor hadn't been able to take the loss of his wife and had died from a stress-induced heart attack.

It was just so different. Gohan wanted to feel like there was danger—that the Androids were going to attack at any moment, but he knew it wasn't true. _Yet_.

"Gohan!" Gohan turned to face the owner of the voice. It was his mother.

"Finally! I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes!"

Gohan simply smiled at his mother: a sad smile, but Gohan doubted his mother would notice. When Gohan had first appeared back on Earth, ChiChi had run straight for him, tears running down her face. Last time, he remembered, he had tried to hide from her, fearing she would be angry at him for not doing his homework.

But it was different now. Now, as an adult, he understood how she had _felt_. As a child he had never truly realized how much his departure to Namek had affected his mother. She could never be angry at him for not doing his homework, as what mattered to her most of all was that he was alive, safe, and healthy.

After his mother had embraced him and kissed him and wet his saiyan battle armor with tears, she turned to Goku. While she had been annoyed, frustrated even, at Goku's insistence at putting Gohan in dangerous situations and at his tendency to try and save the day, she realized that he simply could not sit and let bad things happen. Even if all the odds were against him, Goku would simply fight on, always trying to do the right thing because he could never live with himself if he did not at least try. He allowed Gohan to fight for a reason, and that was because Gohan was a strong and important asset. Sometimes, she realized, she had to put her emotions aside and think about what was best for the world even if it pained her.

So instead of greeting Goku with anger, as she had done after the battle with the saiyans, she embraced him too, relieved that he had returned home to her. Goku had returned the embrace. The battle against Frieza had changed him. He now realized that there were some things that were truly evil, and the amount of good emotion he felt from his wife reminded him once more of why he fought.

Gohan had let them have their private moment, and had moved around the complex observing the other persons present. Vegeta, he noticed, was sitting alone, away from the rest of the group. They made eye contact. Vegeta sneered, attempting to look intimidating. If only he knew just how insignificant his strength was.

Of all the faces he'd seen today, Vegeta's was probably the most painful. Age was the only thing that differed between the face of Trunks and the face of Vegeta, and every similar detail was another pain in his heart.

Gohan missed the boy dearly. Nothing could describe the way he felt about him. And in truth, he was scared. Gohan was an intelligent man. He knew that there was a chance he may never see Trunks again. Through Gohan's own interference in the past, Trunks may never be born. It was a frightening prospect, but Gohan couldn't deny the possibility. This was a problem left up to fate—or perhaps Vegeta.

So instead of sneering back, Gohan just gave a slow, respectful nod to the Prince of Saiyans. Vegeta's brow furrowed in confusion—though just barely.

Then his mother called, and Gohan, Goku, and ChiChi returned home.

xDBZx

The first few days back at home were somewhat strange for Gohan. It wasn't that being home was strange…Gohan simply felt different. If someone asked, he wasn't sure he would be able to explain. But after living on the run, sleeping in broken buildings or underneath half-destroyed bridges, living in his comfortable house was awkward. He had trouble sleeping the first night, as he hadn't slept in a bed in a long time. He'd ended up going outside and sleeping underneath the stars.

Fortunately he'd woken up early enough that his mother hadn't found him asleep outside. After living by himself for a decade it was strange to once again have to live by his mother's rules. However, he did not find it disagreeable. Having her alive again was wonderful, and Gohan would gladly follow her rules even if it meant sacrificing his independence.

However, he had stood up for himself in matters of training. The first day home she had made it clear that she didn't want him to fight anymore. Gohan, however, was not a child anymore; in body perhaps but not in mind. He'd told her clearly that he was going to continue training, but before she could argue he'd made an addendum. He told her that he would complete his studies, which had left her somewhat stunned. He told her that he planned on testing for his GED as soon as possible, and she had happily gone and retrieved his textbooks and study materials.

And it was true: Gohan did want to continue his studies. In fact, his entire future and the life of his father revolved around it. He was going to study, get his GED, then find some way to get into a laboratory and work on virology.

He knew he could do it. He had the intelligence and the drive. And if he failed, his father would die.

But it wasn't going to be easy. In fact, it would probably be the most difficult thing he would ever do. He'd already gone to the library in West City and checked out numerous texts and scientific journals on virology and molecular pathology. He knew that Orange Star University had the most renowned virology lab in the country, and that Dr. Briefs was good friends with the head of the laboratory.

Dr. Briefs would help him. Bulma would make sure of that.

But there would be challenges—great challenges. The most important challenge was the simple fact that he was not yet even six years old in this world. He would have to convince them that he was able to understand the advanced material and do practical and tedious laboratory work. He had to convince them that he was mature enough to work alongside adults. The world had enough child geniuses that, when he showed them his intelligence, they should accept him. Some still might reject him, but with Dr. Briefs and Bulma on his side he should be able to complete this part of his plan.

There was, however, a large doubt that plagued Gohan's mind. Virology was a very complex field, and even if Gohan made it onto a research team and studied viruses extensively, there was still a chance that when Goku became infected he would die. The truth of the matter was that there was no way to study a virus that did not yet exist. He would have only a few days to study it before Goku died. From what he remembered in his world, Goku's was one of the first cases. It had taken researchers two months to find a cure. Gohan needed to be able to find a cure in less than a week.

If only he had studied the virus more in the future, when there was a cure!

But that didn't matter now. If he could aid researchers in studying current viruses, they might be able to trace the evolution of the virus, or predict the materials needed for a vaccine, or even develop a prophylactic.

It was the only thing that could be done, and so Gohan was going to do it.

But he would not stop training either. His new body was much weaker than his old one, and he needed to rebuild that strength. No matter what, he had to make sure he destroyed the Androids before they hurt anyone. He knew the date they appeared—May twelfth at ten in the morning, four and a half years in the future, in a small town nine miles southwest of South City—and he knew that he would not be able to find them before that date. No one knew the location of Dr. Gero's laboratory, and because the Androids had no chi and Dr. Gero's was too insignificant to locate he could not track them down. Gohan would simply have to wait.

So much to do and so little time…

So now Gohan found himself in his room, finishing up the last problem in his workbook. The material was easy, and he remembered doing it in his own world. He closed the book, stretched, and then left his room in search of his father. He entered the kitchen, finding his mother sitting at the kitchen table reading.

"Hey Mom, where's Dad?" he asked.

"Where do you think?" she asked and pointed out the window, "outside."

Gohan thanked her and went outside to meet his father. Goku was busy doing pushups.

"It's different," he said as he noticed Gohan approach, "under normal gravity. I wish I still had that gravity machine."

"I'm sure if you ask Dr. Briefs he will make you one," said Gohan with a laugh. He did his stretches while he waited for his dad to finish his pushups.

"You ready, Gohan?" he asked. Gohan nodded and sprung toward his dad. They both kept their power suppressed, determined to fight only in a battle of skill.

"I can't believe how much you've improved," said Goku as he blocked a strike meant for his head.

"I've trained a lot lately," was Gohan's reply. _Thirteen long years, actually._

An hour later Goku called for a food break. They went inside and finished the food leftover from the previous night—ChiChi somehow always made more than enough. When they returned outside, Goku told Gohan to transform.

Gohan did, and Goku followed soon after. They resumed their fight, with Goku showing Gohan how much weaker his new body was. No matter how hard Gohan tried, he could not touch his father within the limits of his first transformation. The man's Super Saiyan speed was just too much at the moment. But Gohan would not give up.

It was strange, really, that he had never done this with his father before. They had never really trained _together_. In his own world, his father had always been training on his own before the fight with Frieza, and then afterwards he had become ill. The time in between his return to Earth and the time he contracted the heart virus was spent training on his own, as Gohan had not been nearly as strong then as he was now.

But now, they could train together seriously without Goku having to worry about Gohan's health, and Gohan loved every minute of it. Though he may not enjoy hurting people, he absolutely loved fighting. The rush of blood in his veins, the precise movements of his muscles, the clarity of his mind—all of these things he loved, and they were as addictive as any stimulating intellectual puzzle.

And he loved it even more because his father loved it. Only in a fight did Goku display unrestrained passion, and that passion inspired Gohan. Goku did what he loved, and Gohan knew that few men could ever say the same. Gohan only wished that he could become one of those men.

But a strong punch across his jaw knocked Gohan from his reflections. He wiped the blood from his split lip, grinned, and jumped back into the fight.

xDBZx

Three months later Gohan was sitting in a small, white-walled room at Orange Star University, waiting to take his examinations. He was alone save an older woman, his proctor, who was seated at a desk across from his. It had taken time, but Gohan had gotten Bulma and Dr. Briefs to set up these examinations.

A few weeks or so after Gohan had returned from Namek, Goku and Gohan had made a trip to Capsule Corp. to visit Bulma. It was a social visit, but Gohan used the time to explain to Bulma his desire to join a research lab. Gohan was surprised when her initial reaction was not skepticism as he had anticipated, but instead enthusiastic assurance. From her reaction, Gohan inferred that the trip to Namek had modified Bulma's view of him, as she seemingly no longer thought of him as a five year old boy but instead a capable individual.

She asked questions, of course, wondering about his desire to study viruses and what he had done to prepare. Gohan reassured her that he had done substantial research on his own and that he found virology fascinating, and he also told her that he was determined to work in a research setting. With a little bit of acting, he managed to convince her that this was his life's dream, and though Gohan felt a little guilty for the deception he knew it was necessary.

Afterwards, Bulma agreed to help him and the two of them set about making a list of the things Gohan would need to do in order to fulfill his goal. At seeing Gohan's grade reports, and the advanced nature of the material he'd been studying, Bulma laughed and told Gohan that he'd excel in whatever he chose to do. When they were finished they went to see Dr. Briefs, to see if Dr. Briefs had anything to add.

"Well, let's see here," he had said. He looked over the list of Gohan's goals and the list of his credentials, asking Gohan periodic questions over the difficulty of his coursework.

"From what I see, I should be able to help you," he said.

"However," he began as he took off his glasses and began polishing them on his shirt, "there will be some hindrances. You are a very bright young man, but you are too young for just about anyone to take you seriously."

Gohan was about to speak in his defense, but Dr. Briefs motioned for Gohan to let him continue.

"I know, I know, but unfortunately it's the way the world works. The academic community won't know you like we do, and they're unlikely to give you a chance to prove how mature you are. I'll be happy to give you my full support and recommend you to my colleagues at Orange Star University, but that won't be enough on its own. You will have to take a series of examinations to prove you're capable enough to work alongside adults."

Gohan had simply nodded. "Whatever it takes, Dr. Briefs."

A door clicked shut and Gohan was drawn from his thoughts. A man in a neatly pressed black suit entered, carrying several sealed booklets in his hands. He placed them in front of Gohan. Once he left, his proctor started a stopwatch.

"You may begin."

xDBZx

Gohan ran. _Don't look back._ But he did.

The Androids were chasing him. The boy's hands were still covered with Piccolo's blood. The girl had wiped her hands on her jacket.

He shouldn't have come. He should've stayed away like Piccolo told him to.

Why had he followed Piccolo here?

A hand slammed down on his shoulder. Gohan lost his balance and fell, gasping at the pain. He tried to get back to his feet but a strong foot pinned him to the ground. Gohan punched at it as hard as he could but the foot didn't move.

"Lookie here, Eighteen. I think this kid wants to fight us."

Gohan heard the girl laugh.

"Don't be rude then, Seventeen. Put him back on his feet so he can fight."

The Android called Seventeen lifted his foot and Gohan stood up, wary eyes fixated on the duo, muscles tensed and ready for the slightest hostile movement. His heart thudded in fear.

"Well, kid, are you gonna fight?"

Gohan began to back away, but for every step he took backwards, the Androids took one step forwards.

"I've seen you with that green guy before. He was a worthless fighter."

Gohan growled and stepped forward, and a mocking smirk appeared on Seventeen's face.

"Have I touched a nerve?" He asked. His lips then curled back over his teeth, his expression morphing into a sinister snarl. "Then why don't you do something about it!"

"C'mon, Seventeen," the girl said, "you're boring me."

"Ok then," said the boy to the girl. He then turned back to Gohan. "Fine, if you're not going to start then I will!"

Gohan's body exploded in pain. He couldn't gather his bearings as blow after blow landed upon his body. He wanted to cry out but a strong punch to his stomach knocked the wind from him. Seventeen then kicked him onto the ground and Gohan gasped for air.

"Get up, kid," he demanded. Gohan drew in deep breaths and his eyes narrowed in anger. With a burst of speed he managed to smash his fist into the Android's cheek. He continued to hit the Android until his body began to tire and the pain of his injuries caught up with him. A solid kick sent him to the ground again.

Gohan grunted and attempted to stand up again, but as he looked up he saw the boy Android standing over him, hand extended, with yellow energy gathering in his palm.

xDBZx

Goku was woken in the middle of the night by a sound. It was soft, but it didn't seem normal. As he felt his surroundings with all his senses, his mind came upon the presence of his son. Gohan's energy was wild and frightened. Concerned, Goku got out of bed and made his way to his son's room.

Gohan was moving in his sleep. Goku moved closer to his son's side and placed his hand on the boy's forehead. He was as cold as ice and sweating. He looked scared—beyond scared; he looked absolutely terrified.

"Gohan," he whispered, "you're having a nightmare. Wake up."

He shook Gohan in an attempt to wake him and was surprised at what happened next.

As his hand grasped Gohan more firmly, Gohan's own hand came up and grasped his wrist—hard. Before Goku could react, another hand was around his throat and then he was on the floor, staring into the eyes of his son.

But they were not his normal eyes. These eyes were wild and furious—the tumultuous jade eyes of the Super Saiyan form. Gohan's lips were drawn into a sneer, and his hand clamped down tightly on Goku's windpipe. Lightning crackled around the two of them, singing Goku's skin and clothes.

But after a moment Gohan seemed to realize what was happening. His grip on Goku's neck lessened, and Goku gasped for breath. Slowly the lightning dissipated, and Gohan moved back from his father, and Goku noticed that he was shaking.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he said. "I—I don't know what happened."

He leaned back, resting his head against his bed. Goku moved to sit beside him and wrapped his arm around Gohan's shoulders.

"It's ok, Gohan, it's ok. You were having a nightmare."

The truth was, however, that Gohan did know what happened. When he was asleep he was vulnerable, and in his future if you were vulnerable you were dead. His reflexes were sharp, and the instinct would die hard. The peace on this planet was only temporary. He would need those instincts again soon.

xDBZx

As Gohan was eating breakfast with his mother and father the following morning, he was pleasantly surprised that Goku seemed to have not made any mention of the night's incident to his mother. It was an awkward situation, and Gohan was glad that his father seemed to be ignoring it. The family ate together in a comfortable quiet until the phone rang.

"I'll get it," said ChiChi. She went to answer the phone.

Goku and Gohan finished their meal and cleaned their dishes and were about to head outside to train when they heard an excited squeal.

"Gohan," said ChiChi, nearly bouncing up and down, "it's Bulma. She wants to speak with you." He took the phone from the extended hand.

"Hello?"

"Gohan, it's Bulma. Your test results are in and my father was able to see them. You aced them! There are a lot of people wanting to meet you!"

Gohan grinned. Everything was falling into place.

"Great!" said Gohan. "So what do we do next?"

"My father is going to set up an interview for you with the dean of the University and Dr. Hekoe, the head of the laboratory. They both want to meet the genius who received perfect test scores. I'll give your mother the details later."

"Thanks for everything, Bulma."

"No problem, kiddo."

They said their goodbyes and Gohan hung up and then thrust his fist into the air in victory. Though everything was not finalized yet, he'd done it!

However, the fight was not over. Gohan still had a lot of work to do. There would be many frustrations along the way, but Gohan was prepared. He needed to do this.

He needed to save Goku.

"Gohan!"

Goku's voice came from outside and Gohan went outside to meet him.

"Your mother told me about your tests. Congratulations! I'm very proud of you!"

"Thanks, Dad," said Gohan. He brought his hand up to the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed at the big smile on his father's face.

When Gohan was younger and in one of his darker moods, he had sometimes wondered if Goku actually enjoyed spending time with his family, or if cared about Gohan's love of learning. It often seemed that Goku cared only for training, but this was proof otherwise. With his more mature perspective, Gohan was able to observe the minor details that showed just how much his father cared for his family. The grin that broke out when he first said good morning to his wife and son, the subtle glances filled with adoration, the playful roughhousing before bedtime: they all showed Gohan the depth of Goku's caring.

Reassured by that thought, he followed his father to their training area. Their normal training area was too far for walking, but it was a short trip by flight. They landed in a clearing and were greeted by Piccolo.

Piccolo also trained with them, and Gohan was glad to be able to study under his master once more. No matter how much Gohan had learned during his fights with the Androids, he was still amazed by Piccolo's skill. Piccolo relied on cunning and speed more than strength in his fights, and both Gohan and Goku had difficulty against him in their base forms.

The Super Saiyan transformation gave them too great of an advantage against Piccolo, as their strength and speed were multiplied. If Piccolo were given the same power as a Super Saiyan, Gohan was sure he'd have no equal in battle.

But Gohan was not without his own tricks. He had learned to use the environment to his advantage. He would often draw Piccolo and his father into a chase. He would then find somewhere to hide, suppress his presence, and then strike when the time was right.

It was a skill that he had developed out of necessity. When Gohan first became a Super Saiyan and began fighting the Androids, he had often battled them out in the open. This gave the Androids the advantage. He'd nearly died multiple times. But he learned very quickly. By battling in and among the ruins of cities, Gohan could often separate the dangerous duo. It was a simple and effective tactic: divide and conquer.

Now he was going to employ it on Piccolo and his father.

xDBZx

Gohan lay flush with the ground, surrounded by tall grasses. His father and Piccolo were on a team, and they were trying to locate him. Gohan was shielding his presence, rendering himself invisible to his father and mentor. He had long ago perfected that technique; had he not done so, the scanners implanted in the Androids would have easily registered his life force. The only way to stay alive was to stay hidden.

Unfortunately for Gohan, both Piccolo and Goku knew how to completely mask their presences also, and so Gohan was forced to rely on his hearing and vision.

He lay in wait, totally silent. A slight breeze picked up. Gohan could smell something carried on the wind, a familiar scent. Along with the smell came the slightest rustling of cloth, and Gohan knew the time had come. He phased from his hiding place and appeared right behind his dad and delivered a powerful kick. Goku recovered quickly from the blow and spun around to face his assailant, only to be met with the scenery of the empty forest.

Gohan, meanwhile, had gone back into hiding, preferring to use guerrilla tactics when outnumbered. He could see his father, whose eyes and body were on alert, through the brush. He was just about to attack again when he heard the rustling of cloth behind him.

He spun with his fist ready, but it was caught in Piccolo's grip.

"Your concentration slipped when you attacked your father," he said. "I could sense your presence. I could hear you as well," he added and motioned to his oversized ears.

Gohan broke free of Piccolo's grip and sped away into the brush, only to come face to foot with his father. He dodged the kick. He turned to face his father. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Piccolo approaching. It was two on one once more. Gohan smirked. _Oh, Piccolo, the joke's going to be on you!_

xDBZx

Later in the evening, Piccolo watched as Gohan left to return home for dinner. Goku was about to leave too, but Piccolo motioned for him to stay.

"Is something wrong, Piccolo?" he asked.

"Have you noticed something…different…about Gohan lately?"

Goku didn't know what to say. He had noticed a change in Gohan's behavior, the most notable being the incident that had occurred just the previous night. He'd heard Gohan having a nightmare, but when he tried to wake him from it…

Goku frowned and raised his hand to his throat, feeling the soreness that was still there from Gohan's grip. His son's grip had been so strong that Goku had felt helpless. And his eyes…they were the wild and furious jade eyes of a Super Saiyan.

That wasn't a response a child had. That was how someone like Vegeta would react.

As he thought more about it, Goku began to grow a little scared. Seeing that Piccolo was still waiting for an answer to his question, Goku cleared his throat and tried to think of something to say. He could tell Gohan was relieved this morning that he hadn't mentioned that ordeal, so he didn't think he should betray Gohan's confidence by telling Piccolo. So instead he smiled and evaded the subject.

"He's improved so much over the last year. He's way better than I was at his age. And he hits really hard," he added with a small grimace as he poked a rather large bump on his head. Piccolo frowned.

"Don't you think it's strange?" he asked. "I know he's strong, and he's been practicing a lot, but he's not even six years old. Something has changed, Goku."

"He's growing up. He's always been more like ChiChi, more mature and serious."

"It's more than that," interjected Piccolo. "After what happened on Namek—what Frieza did to him. It's affecting him."

So Piccolo had noticed that too. Perhaps Goku should talk to Gohan. He'd proven himself to be very mature on Namek, but sometimes it was hard to remember that he was still just a child. And both he and Piccolo had noticed that Gohan _was _different, and though the events on Namek might have left wounds a senzu bean couldn't heal, he was sure it was simply a part of growing up—or perhaps he wished it was simply a part of growing up.

xDBZx

After they ate, Goku watched as Gohan thanked ChiChi for the meal and then helped her with the dishes. After the great concern Piccolo had shown, Goku made sure to study all of his son's mannerisms.

He noticed that his son stood with his back straight, disciplined, yet he was light on his feet, prepared for any sudden movement. His hands moved fluidly and with precision as he scrubbed the numerous plates. He hummed along with his mother to a soft and joyful tune.

When he was finished, he retreated to his room. Goku decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to speak with him. He followed Gohan's path to his room and found his son sitting at his desk, a book in hand.

Gohan had already sensed his presence and marked his page when Goku entered.

"Need something, Dad?" he asked.

For a moment Goku carefully examined his son's expression. His gaze was intense; when Gohan was a little child, Goku often had trouble getting his son to look him directly in the eye. He was a very timid boy, and he was frightened easily. Now, though, his son's eyes met his own, and Goku found that he could not match the intensity of his son's gaze. His eyes shifted to the book and he motioned toward it.

"What are you reading about?"

"Immune cell recognition of protein matrices on the surface of viruses," said Gohan. Goku's brow furrowed.

"Sounds rough," said Goku. Gohan smiled.

"It's interesting," Gohan replied. Goku had always been amazed by his son's intelligence, and sometimes it was hard for him to believe his son was only five years old. His vocabulary alone had far surpassed Goku's.

"Well," he began, sitting down on the edge of Gohan's bed, "I've been noticing some things, and I was just wondering if there's something bothering you." Gohan's expression turned inquisitive.

"I'm fine, Dad," he said. "What things have you noticed?"

The intensity was gone in Gohan's eyes and all Goku could see was honest interest.

"You've just been so…intense…since we got back from Namek. You work hard at your training and your schoolwork—not that that's a bad thing!" he added quickly, noticing the intense gaze returning.

"I guess," he continued, "that you just seem more like an adult than a child. And with what happened last night…" He trailed off.

Inwardly Gohan sighed. He'd been hoping to avoid this. Maybe with a little acting he could do just that.

"I'm fine, Dad," he said. "I was just having a nightmare about…about Frieza, and you woke me just as I was about to attack him. Unfortunately, it turned out to be you I was fighting instead of Frieza." He gave a cheeky grin and saw his father do the same. After a moment it seemed like Goku accepted his story and so he walked to the door of Gohan's room.

"Make sure you go to bed early tonight, Gohan. Your mother will be mad at me if you keep staying up late."

He bid Gohan goodnight and left.

xDBZx

That night Gohan had another dream. This time, however, he was standing in an open field of lush green grass. A light mist was rising from the ground, granting the entire area a very mystical feel. The air felt heavier, in a way, and Gohan was unsure what to make of it. He couldn't remember ever seeing this place before. The mist became denser in the distance so he could not see far.

Light footsteps reached his ears. Gohan turned to face them and found an outline of a man. The mist rose about him, obscuring his features, confusing Gohan even more.

"Who are you?" he asked.

From all sides came a voice, both hard and soft and strangely musical.

"You do not belong in this world, Son Gohan."

xDBZx

AN: Wow, I am sorry about how long this chapter took. Stuff started happening and then writing was pushed to the back burner and the next thing I know exactly a year had passed since I last updated. That is a long time, and it really went by in the blink of an eye. But Chapter 3 is here now, and hopefully the long break didn't raise your expectations too much.

Next chapter things are really going to heat up. Big time.

Once again, sorry for the wait, and thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter IV

Resilience

Chapter IV – Resolution

"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival."

-Winston Churchill

xDBZx

_"You do not belong in this world, Son Gohan."_

The words echoed among the mist, sounding like a thousand chiming bells ringing in his ears. They were not threatening, but Gohan could sense power behind them, a will that indicated a being of strength.

"Why not?" Gohan asked, careful to curb the force behind his words. Something was different about the atmosphere, something surreal—but Gohan could not yet determine why.

"Your spirit is of another place. You do not belong." The words were carried toward him by a gentle breeze, soft, but they echoed in his ears. They sounded masculine, yet each tone also carried an instrumental timbre as if the speaker were accompanied by a xylophone. The mist grew lighter around him, revealing more of the speaker's form, but Gohan still could not see his face.

"Who are you?" Gohan asked, straining to see through the mist. The speaker stepped forward and the mist parted as if to give him passage, revealing a man only slightly bigger than Gohan himself, with light purple skin and dressed in clothes of a style Gohan could not name. His face was mature yet carried an outline of youth and childishness, and the sides of his head were bald, accentuating the spiky, snow-white hair that reached down past his eyes. His eyes met Gohan's, and Gohan could see wisdom and power looking back at him.

"I am the Supreme Kai," he said, though Gohan was not sure if his mouth had moved to speak the words. Gohan had never heard of the Supreme Kai, but had heard tales of King Kai from his father.

"He is one of my servants." Gohan's eyes widened in surprise, and then narrowed quickly in suspicion.

"You can read minds?" he asked, body beginning to tense as a possible threat was revealed.

"I do possess the ability, yes." The Supreme Kai's face remained impassive, his eyes never having moved from Gohan's. Gohan reached out with his life force to try and sense something from this being, to try and determine his intentions, but he, like the area around him, was shrouded.

"Why are you here?" he asked after the Supreme Kai made no further move to speak.

"The universe is delicate," the Supreme Kai began, "and it is not the only one. An infinite tapestry of universes surrounds us, but each universe, each thread, is separate—distinct. While the threads may twist and weave around one another, never do they intersect."

He took a step closer to Gohan, his eyes, never shifting, boring into Gohan's own. The air grew heavier, like a great pressure before a coming storm, and the mist around them darkened.

"Your presence here has upset the balance of this universe. I have brought you here to fix the damage."

_Fix the damage?_

"This is a dream," said Gohan, lucid enough to realize he had been sleeping, yet also aware that something else was at work. His muscles tensed as the threat made itself clear.

"The possibilities of the future are made known to me," the Supreme Kai continued as he took another step forward, "but since your arrival I have seen only one."

A chill went down Gohan's spine, but he did not break his gaze. "Which is?"

"Death."

The word was like thunder, crashing around him on all sides, a great roar that echoed across the grounds of the mystical place. The pressure around him increased, and his body felt as though it had been shocked. He knew that the Supreme Kai was telling him the truth. He could feel it in his very bones.

"What happens?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. The Supreme Kai took another step closer, his face only a few inches away from Gohan's own.

"A great chain of events comes to pass, and the lords of the ancient past reemerge. The system of order created long ago shatters, and what is lost will never be regained."

The Supreme Kai reached forward with his hand and pointed at Gohan.

"And it all starts with you."

A cold feeling settled in Gohan's stomach. Fear. It was fear because Gohan knew that everything the Supreme Kai had said was true, and Gohan could see the intention. He had already connected the dots.

"And so you will try to kill me." It was the logical solution. If the Supreme Kai could send him back to his own universe, or if that would solve the problem, he would have already done so.

"It is the only way," replied the Supreme Kai, voice level and calm, but Gohan could also sense a hint of sadness—of compassion.

"I did not intend to come here."

"It does not matter. What matters is what you have already done—and what you plan to do."

Anger began to course through Gohan. "I have a second chance, and I will use it to protect my family. I will _not_ let them die again."

"If you continue down this path many others will die."

"And if I do nothing my family will die!"

A great rush of wind passed through the field of grass, and sparks of electricity began to crackle along the blades. The air began to grow warm, charged with a building power, the pressure increasing with every moment.

The Supreme Kai took a step backward in shock. His expression betrayed surprise, the first change Gohan had seen since he had first appeared in this field. And with his surprise his control had dropped, and Gohan could sense the Supreme Kai's uncertainty.

Power flowed through his body, a great surge of energy granted to him by his saiyan heritage. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, relishing the confidence his strength gave him, and then opened his eyes to face the Supreme Kai once more.

"I will not lose my family again," he said, his voice firm and resolute, and even though the words came from a child's body they carried an undertone of determination and force, of unbreakable will. "I will not let anything get in the way of my goal. Not now, not when I've already come so far. Not even you, Supreme Kai."

And with that statement Gohan's expression became hard, and he let loose an animalistic shout. Lightning crashed down from the sky around him, and a great golden light surrounded his small frame. Blue bolts of electricity burned through the mist, and the Supreme Kai nearly stumbled at the amount of power that flowed from the child. It was incredible, luminous like an exploding star, and it was changing everything. The future was unwinding, the possibilities uncertain…the Supreme Kai could feel that another shift had occurred. One chain of events had been broken yet another had been forged. The power was ever flowing and it washed over him, burning, and the connection could not be upheld…

Gohan woke with a start in his room. His heart was racing, sweat had formed on his brow, and his hands were clenched so tightly into fists that his fingernails had drawn blood. The power was flowing from him, illuminating his room in golden light, just as it had in his dream, but quickly he tried to divert it away. He focused on his breathing, focused on reigning in the power, and soon it was locked away once more, leaving Gohan with only his thoughts and the echoes of his power.

Gohan knew he would never get back to sleep after that, so he quickly abandoned his bed. He reached out with his energy to feel for other beings, to see if he had awoken anyone, but he felt only the steady rhythm of sleeping spirits. Gohan was grateful, as he didn't feel like trying to explain the experience to anyone. He moved to his window and opened it, letting the cool night breeze caress his hot skin.

It was a full moon. For a moment he imagined what it would be like if he had a tail, if he would be able to control the Oozaru transformation—he was sure he could, especially after having learned the discipline of a super saiyan—and it left him with a slight ache in his heart. He missed his tail. It had been a part of him once, after all, though he hadn't had it for over a decade. For this body, however, the tail had only been gone for about a year. Maybe it would grow back, even though that had never happened in his own body. But what good was hope, if not for situations such as this?

Gohan shifted his gaze past the moon and out towards the stars. It was hard to believe he had been out there once, just a few months ago. He had visited an alien world, yet it was so much like his own. But there was another alien world he had visited much more recently.

His dream came to the forefront of his thoughts, along with the message of the Supreme Kai. It had not been an ordinary dream—Gohan knew that he had met the Supreme Kai for real, could feel the truth of it. He did not know how the Supreme Kai had done it, but Gohan knew just how strange the world could actually be.

"_The possibilities of the future are made known to me," the Supreme Kai continued as he took another step forward, "but since your arrival I have seen only one."_

A chill went down Gohan's spine once more. He was just one man, in one small corner of the universe. He had known his actions would have consequences and would create differences, but that's what he had been counting on. But to have such a large effect that would warrant the attention of the Supreme Kai…

It didn't seem possible, but the Kai had been speaking the truth. Or at least what he believed to be the truth. And he believed that the only way to stop the future from coming to pass was to completely limit Gohan's ability to act upon the universe by killing him.

Gohan looked down at his hands, which were bathed in the silver moonlight. Could he really justify his actions if they were going to have such a universal effect? He had always tried to put others before himself, a trait he had learned from his father's example. What would Goku do in this situation? Would Goku sacrifice himself, and by default his family, in order to save the universe from a far more sinister fate?

The answer, Gohan knew, was a resounding yes. His father would gladly do such a thing, as he had always been able to act for the greater good.

But Gohan wasn't like that, not anymore. The only thing he wanted was his family, alive and whole. And he had a chance to protect it.

He placed his hands on the windowsill and leaned his body against it.

Besides, it was only a possible future. The fact that it was the only one the Supreme Kai was seeing didn't necessarily make it the real and only future. If that were the case, destroying Gohan would achieve nothing, as nothing could alter the future's course.

Gohan would remain resolute in his goal.

He looked up once more at the moon and closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of the surrounding forest, feeling calm once more. Let the Supreme Kai try and stop him.

xDBZx

The next morning found Gohan sitting by a pond in the forest. He was sitting on a patch of grass, legs folded underneath him and eyes closed. Across from him sat Piccolo, who mirrored Gohan's position except for the fact that he was levitating a foot off the ground. The atmosphere was peaceful, with a gentle background noise created by some frogs and a buzzing fly.

Gohan hadn't gone back to bed but instead had gone outside to burn off some energy. Piccolo had apparently noticed that Gohan was not asleep and had come to investigate. Gohan had been doing handstand pushups at the time, but as Piccolo approached he told Gohan to stop and to sit down.

"The mark of a good warrior," he had said, "is not the strength of his body, but instead the strength of his mind. It's time you learned how to meditate."

Gohan nearly laughed at the statement, as he had learned how to meditate from Piccolo himself years ago. Once again he was reminded how everyone thought that he was still a child, a not-yet six year old boy caught up in a whirlwind of events far beyond his years. But Gohan would not complain. It was the price he had to pay for his second chance.

He let Piccolo teach him once again, and smirked internally at the flash of surprise that crossed Piccolo's features when he turned out to be such a great student. He knew Piccolo was suspicious of him, could see it in how frequently he watched over Gohan, but it was much too fun to surprise the ever-stoic Namekian. He doubted even Piccolo, whose cunning and perceptive nature was unparalleled, could figure out the truth. And even if he did, did it really matter? He _was_ still Gohan, after all.

Which lead him to another thought. What had happened with the other Gohan's spirit? The Supreme Kai had recognized that his spirit was not of this world, which meant that his spirit had taken over this body. Gohan didn't think he was sharing the body with any other life forces, so he wasn't sure what had happened to the other Gohan's spirit. Based on the condition of his body when he had awoken, his best guess was that the other Gohan's spirit had passed on to Otherworld. He felt a twinge of sadness in his heart and a bit of guilt. His other self had most likely died, and Gohan had taken over his body. Gohan did not know what happened to children in Otherworld, but he hoped his child self was at peace. His sacrifice would not be in vain.

"You are not mindful of the present," came Piccolo's voice, interrupting Gohan's thoughts.

"Sorry, Piccolo," Gohan replied.

"Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" He asked, voice gruff but Gohan could sense the caring underneath.

"It's nothing, Piccolo." Gohan knew Piccolo could tell he was lying, but the Namekian let the issue slide.

"Sure, kid."

At that moment Gohan felt his father arrive. He dropped down next to Gohan and ruffled his hair.

"Hey Gohan it's breakfast time! Sorry, Piccolo, but we've got to head back. But don't worry, we can spar afterwards!"

Goku's cheerful tone lightened the mood a bit, and Piccolo's lip curled upward in a slight smirk. "Sure thing, Goku, I'll gladly beat you again like yesterday."

"Well, see you later! Come on, Gohan, let's go, I'm starving!"

xDBZx

After breakfast Goku had helped Chichi with the dishes and then had head out to spar with Piccolo. Gohan chose to spend the rest of his morning studying in his room, the meditation with Piccolo having done a wonder on his ability to focus. The conversation with the Supreme Kai had been filed away, the worry gone.

After lunch Bulma had called and spoken with Chichi, who had entered Gohan's room in a whirlwind of excitement.

"Bulma said the interview has been scheduled for this Thursday. Oh I am so excited, my little Gohan is already going to his first interview—and for the top university in the country, too! I am the proudest mother in the world! We're going to have to cut your hair, and go into town to get a suit—I'm going to have to ask Bulma if she knows any places—and also get her and her father a gift for helping with this…"

She left Gohan's room, planning out loud a list of things to get while she was in town, and Gohan marveled at her ability to focus. Then again, she did have to put up with an alien husband and a half-alien son. The poor woman never got any rest. Any other woman would have gone crazy already…

_Well, crazier_, he thought with a smile. With a yawn and a stretch he went back to his work.

xDBZx

On Wednesday morning Bulma came and picked Gohan and Chichi up in her hovercopter. Gohan could have easily flown his mother to town but she didn't want to run the risk of anyone seeing them in the air, and Bulma had agreed. It was only an hour ride or so and Bulma didn't mind.

Goku, of course, was off training with Piccolo, but not before wishing him luck. Gohan and Chichi would stay the night at Capsule Corp. with Bulma and so Goku would not be seeing his son until after the interview.

After helping his mother seal the endless amount of containers that would feed his father while they were gone, he hopped in the hovercopter and was on his way to West City. There, unfortunately, he would have to deal with the drudgery of shopping for all manner of items, but as it was necessary, Gohan would do it without complaint. He was just glad his father wasn't with them, as whenever they went into the city he would always wander off and marvel at how normal people lived their lives. If he came along the shopping would take twice as long.

The hovercopter ride passed in peace, with Bulma and Chichi making idle chitchat while Gohan stared out the window. As they approached the city a strange feeling began to well up in his gut, a mixture of loss and relief.

He had spent much of his life in this city, spending most of his free time with Trunks and Bulma, the only friends he had left in the future. And he had fought the Androids several times there. The last time he had flown over the city there had been nothing but ruined and blackened buildings, destroyed from countless attacks by the Androids.

But as he flew over it now, the city was teeming with life. He could see cars moving along the streets, people walking along the sidewalks, children playing in the parks. There were no fires, no chunks of rubble littering the streets. People were going about their daily lives, carefree, worrying only about house payments and traffic tickets. They did not live in constant fear of a merciless, untiring enemy, of attacks that could occur at enemy moment.

This was the way it was meant to be. Gohan had failed last time, but he would never fail again. He had seen the destruction—had lived it—and he would do everything in his power to make sure it never happened again.

"Is something wrong, Gohan?" his mother asked. Gohan turned to look towards the front of the copter, where his mother and Bulma were seated. Chichi was looking at him with a worried expression and Bulma was shooting curious glances his way. Gohan shifted his eyes from his mother down to his hands, which were gripping the armrests of his seat. The knuckles of his hands were white, and the material of the armrest was breaking under his strength. He loosened his fingers and looked up at his mother, putting on a bashful smile.

"I'm just a bit nervous, I guess," he said shyly, as his timid young self would have done. His mother's expression turned to understanding, and a small smile tugged at Bulma's lips as she turned her face towards his.

"Nothing to be worried about, kiddo," she said brightly, cheer and pride in her words. "You've got this thing in the bag. The interview is more of a formality and a way to introduce you to the Dean and your adviser. Nobody turns down a kid with perfect scores, especially not when he's a Briefs family friend!"

He gave a small laugh. "Thanks, Bulma. I can't tell you how grateful I am for all you've done."

"It's good to see spending all that time with Piccolo and your father hasn't done anything to your manners," said Chichi with a proud smile.

"It's no problem, Gohan, not after everything you've done for us, for all of Earth! If you keep that up, everyone at the university is sure to love you," said Bulma. "Now buckle up everyone, it's time to land."

Bulma landed the hovercopter with practiced ease on the pad outside the main Capsule Corp. building. Bunny was outside watering some flowers, and as they disembarked she came bounding over to meet them with youthful enthusiasm.

"Oh, Gohan, I heard all about your tests. Congratulations! And you just get cuter and cuter every time I see you!" she said as she pinched his cheek. Gohan found it a little undignified and a little embarrassing, and even though he was really twenty-three years old his cheeks were tinged with pink.

"Thanks, Mrs. Briefs," he said and gave her a small smile.

"And I baked you a cake," she added as she ruffled his hair, "after dinner tonight we'll celebrate!"

Gohan thanked her again and she moved on to speak with his mother. Gohan took the time to look around. Across the grounds was a replica of the spaceship his father had taken to Namek. The door of the ship opened and Vegeta jumped out, covered in sweat and drinking from a Capsule Corp. water bottle. They made eye contact and Gohan gave a nod in his direction. To his surprise, Vegeta also gave him a stiff nod, but Gohan thought it may also have been just a twitch. It was difficult to read the Prince of Saiyans.

So many little things were going differently in this universe. In his own, Vegeta hadn't so quickly adapted to a life here on Earth. He had fled to the stars in search of something—Goku, no doubt—but this time he had stayed. Gohan was unsure of the significance this would have on the future, but he could only hope that it ended up the way he wanted it.

_A strange thing to want, actually_, he thought. _And a little bit selfish._

And it was. He wanted Vegeta and Bulma to end up in a relationship again on the off-chance that it resulted in Trunks being born. And if he were being reasonable, he knew that the moment would have to be the exact same to result in Trunks being born and not some other combination of Vegeta's and Bulma's genes. The odds were absolutely against him. And he wasn't sure if it was even healthy for Bulma. She put up with a lot of verbal abuse as Vegeta adjusted to life away from enslavement to Frieza. She was a strong-willed woman and had proven she could handle it, but did she deserve it, if there may have been something better?

Gohan could not answer that question, and thus he resigned himself to staying away from the matter entirely. He would let the hand of chance lay wherever it may and accept the outcome.

"That jerk!" Bulma's voice broke Gohan from his thoughts and he turned to face the group. Bulma's face was red and she was shaking with rage, her hands clenched into fists.

"You mean Vegeta?" asked Bunny with a smile, "he's such a dear, I don't know why you two don't get along!"

"I could never!" shouted Bulma, "Woman, fix my spaceship; woman, clean my clothes; one of these days I'm going to launch that spaceship into the Sun with him in it!"

Gohan's mood brightened considerably. To think he had been worried about something so impossible. It seemed like Vegeta and Bulma were almost a sure thing—a match made in Otherworld.

xDBZx

The shopping passed by quickly and without a hitch, though his mother had made him try on at least twenty different suits as they browsed for the "right one". It was a nice gray suit, elegant but inexpensive, though if Gohan were being honest it looked absolutely ridiculous on his tiny little body, like someone had taken a business man and shrank him. For a moment Gohan imagined what his life would have been like had he become a scholar as his mother dreamed. He probably would have worn a suit like this every day and carried around a briefcase. _Probably would have had some glasses too, just to complete the look…_

It hadn't happened the last time, but it would be happening now, at least until he achieved his goal. And he had every intention of doing just that.

Dinner was a calm affair, with just him, his mother, Bulma, and Dr. and Mrs. Briefs. Vegeta, of course, would rather train than spend time with them. Not that Gohan minded, really, as he was sure that Vegeta was still rough around the edges.

"So, Gohan, are you ready for tomorrow?" Dr. Briefs asked. The ever present cat on his shoulder meowed.

"Yes, sir," Gohan said. "I'm very excited to meet Dr. Hekoe. He's brilliant."

Dr. Briefs laughed. "Yes he is, very much so. And don't ever challenge him to a game of chess, or he'll show you just how brilliant he is. And whatever you do, keep him away from a tennis court."

"Where _has_ Curtis been, dear?" asked Mrs. Briefs, "he and Susan haven't been over for a while."

"I'm afraid Susan's been across the continent. Her mother's ill, you know, recent heart trouble. And Curtis has been helping his son prepare for his exams."

Gohan stiffened at the sound of heart trouble. Could fate possibly be lending him a hand? No, that was ridiculous. Heart disease was one of the most common medical problems, and she was probably at an age that would greatly increase her risk. Bayesian reasoning was telling him it was probably heart disease, the far more common disorder, and not a heart virus. But he had to know, just in case.

"What kind of heart trouble? I mean, is she going to be all right?" asked Gohan with concern.

"Myocarditis, I believe," said Dr. Briefs, "Dr. Hekoe visited her last week and said that she appeared to be doing well."

"What symptoms did she present?" asked Gohan as he leaned forward, needing to know more information. If it were a viral infection, she would have fairly straightforward symptoms.

Dr. Briefs cupped his chin in his hand, looking pensive. "I don't believe he ever mentioned the exact symptoms."

Gohan hid his disappointment. It had been foolish to hope, and it _was _a stretch, but he felt like he should continue pursuing it, just on the off-chance. He needed to know more. His mind made up, he put his attention back on the conversation at hand. Luckily it seemed that none of the adults had thought his behavior strange—he was simply an extremely curious boy with knowledge well beyond his years. A useful thing to know.

The conversation moved on to global politics, which Gohan had no interest in. He did find it interesting that his mother and Bulma shared the same views on the constitutional monarchy—that the central military budget should be reduced and more legislative power should be returned to the individual sectors—but the global political system seemed so mundane after battling a galactic tyrant. Vegeta no doubt felt the same.

The citizens of the planet really had no idea how the universe actually worked. Earth was the most backwater planet in the galaxy, which is the only reason the Earthlings had been able to stay isolated for so long. Frieza's empire hadn't even located this planet until right before his father had been born, which was why Goku had been sent to clean it.

Earth was so lucky that Goku had hit his head and forgotten his programming, or else none of them would exist at this very moment. Even Gohan wouldn't exist, and Goku likely would never have become a Super Saiyan and defeated Frieza. The space lizard's tyranny would have lived on, possibly forever if he were to learn of the dragonballs.

But there was no point in thinking that way. Gohan was grateful for how things were, and he would fight to keep this planet safe from all evil. Even though he was a Saiyan, this was his home.

Realizing his thoughts had gone off track again, he brought his attention back to the present. He needed to start meditating more, his lack of control over his thoughts was becoming quite annoying.

The conversation had switched from politics to Vegeta. His mother couldn't believe how they were all putting up with a man that had once tried to kill them all. Dr. Briefs was all too happy to use him as a test subject for all of his new inventions—like the ever improving gravity machine inside the _Capsule 3 _ spaceship—and so didn't mind having to fix his machines every other day. Bunny thought he was adorable, though she was hurt that he never wanted to try her iced tea—Bulma looked revolted at this—and that he never wore the shirts she laid out for him each morning.

"He would look so charming in the pink one!" she said to Bulma with a huge smile.

Bulma had quite a lot to say about him. Gohan didn't get to hear most of it as ChiChi covered his ears partway through, and Gohan was trying so hard not to laugh that he didn't even try to stop her.

By then everyone had finished dinner, and so Bunny and Dr. Briefs gathered up the plates, to which Gohan said a polite, "Thank you!", and then returned with a large cake.

"It's chocolate," said Bunny as she set it down in front of him. It was large, and on top in red frosting it read: _Congratulations, Gohan! _

"Bunny makes the best cakes," said Dr. Briefs as he cut a slice and handed it to Gohan. He then cut slices for the rest of the group. Gohan took a bite and couldn't help but agree as it was extremely delicious. Although, as his mother didn't bake cakes, he was sure that was why there was no competition.

After everyone finished, Gohan reached forward and cut another slice. "I thought I would bring a piece to Vegeta," he said in explanation as his mother gave him a stern look.

"That's a great idea," said Bunny. "You're such a thoughtful little man, I'm sure Vegeta would love it!"

Chichi and Bulma exchanged nervous glances.

"I don't think that's a good idea," said Chichi, remembering how Vegeta had once tried to _kill_ her son.

"He's not likely to accept it anyway," said Bulma, "he'll probably just throw it away. The jerk."

"Well, I would like to try anyway," said Gohan. He turned to his mom. "And there's no need for you to be worried, I'm stronger than he is."

He received incredulous looks from all the people present. He surmised that the story of his transformation hadn't been passed around—possibly because it had been overshadowed by Goku's. Goku was the one to destroy Frieza, after all.

"Stronger than Vegeta?" asked Mrs. Briefs with a sharp intake of breath.

"Incredible," said Dr. Briefs, "even with his warrior training?"

Chichi had a smug look on her face. "Well he _is _the son of Goku, you know!"

"It's a fluke, really," admitted Gohan. And it really was, since Gohan was actually less than ten years younger than Vegeta.

"Well, then, when you see him, please give him a punch square in the mouth from me," said Bulma.

"Bulma!" admonished both Chichi and Mrs. Briefs, though Bulma appeared unashamed.

"Right, well," said Gohan as he picked up the plate of cake, "may I be excused, please?"

"Of course, Gohan dear," said Mrs. Briefs. His mother sighed and waved him away, and Gohan left the dining room. He quickly located Vegeta's life force and headed that way. He had memorized the many corridors of Capsule Corp. long ago, after having spent much of his time here with Bulma and Trunks. Of course, the condition of the building had been much worse in that time. Entire halls collapsed, floors piled with rubble…it was a far cry from the pristine floors and spotless walls he was now seeing.

As he was walking, he passed a large corridor. He glanced down the length of it and froze, a strange pain clutching at his heart.

At the end of the corridor was a large, titanium-steel door. He had forgotten that the bunker had always existed—it was where Capsule Corp. conducted all of their research in dangerous materials such as radioactive elements, explosives, and _time machines._ The pain gripped at his heart but Gohan found himself drawn towards the door. He reached out and touched it.

This was where Bulma and Trunks had died. It had taken place inside this bunker, inside the safest place in Capsule Corp. Trunks was supposed to have been safe here!

_Gohan sensed Trunks's power drop immensely, but he was not the only one. Android Seventeen had also sensed it. He looked at Gohan and smirked. Somehow, Gohan knew exactly what was going to happen. He turned around and raced to Trunks's aid, but Seventeen was closer. Seventeen raised his finger and shot a blast at Trunks. Gohan sped towards it as fast as he could, trying desperately to somehow knock it out of the way. He wasn't fast enough._

_The blast pierced through Trunks's chest. Trunks let out a small gasp as he looked down at the fatal wound. Gohan's heart stopped in his throat as he saw Trunks cough up some blood and collapse to the ground._

Gohan's body lost strength as the memory assaulted him. He fell against the wall, trying to use it as a support, but he ended up collapsed on the floor, back against the door with one arm wrapped around his legs. A tear fell from his eye, and Gohan felt the awful pain clutch at his heart once again.

It was just as real as it had been before, and it was too much—too painful. The look of shock—the utter _helplessness_—Gohan couldn't take it.

_I'm so sorry, Trunks._

Vegeta's energy began to approach, and Gohan quickly stood up and schooled his expression. He dried his tears and forced the pain down, locked it away so that Vegeta could never sense it. He made his way back to the main corridor and moved towards the Saiyan Prince.

Vegeta turned the corner of the hallway up ahead and instantly noticed Gohan standing alone in the corridor. He approached, and Gohan noticed he was drenched in sweat from another workout in the gravity room. Gohan held out the piece of cake he had brought from dinner.

"Want some cake?" he asked, voice calm and collected. "It's chocolate."

Vegeta's jaw was clenched and his eyebrow was twitching, as if just being in Gohan's presence annoyed him. He eventually seemed to decide what he wanted to do and pushed past Gohan with a snarl. "Get out of my way, brat."

Gohan let him get a few steps away and then spoke.

"You're a fool, Vegeta."

Vegeta turned to face him, eyes narrowed and teeth clenched in rage. He approached Gohan and picked him up by the front of his shirt.

"What did you call me?" He demanded as he brought Gohan's face within two inches of his own. The veins on Vegeta's forehead were prominent and pulsing, a visible sign of his anger.

Gohan met Vegeta's eyes with indifference and repeated himself. "I said you're a fool, Vegeta. You'll never achieve the transformation the way you've been trying."

"You know nothing," spat Vegeta. He tossed Gohan away, who easily landed on his feet and looked unperturbed, adroitly maneuvering the plate so as not to drop the cake. Gohan faced Vegeta once again and met his eyes, his gaze intense.

"The transformation is not physical, Prince of Saiyans. It may require a certain strength to maintain, but it is a result of mental and spiritual clarity and catalyzed by need. You would do well to remember it."

"I do not need advice from a _boy_. I already feel its power," hissed Vegeta.

"Then tell me, Prince of Saiyans," said Gohan as he stepped towards Vegeta, complete confidence in his movements and power visible in darkened eyes, "why do you need the power? What do you have that's worth fighting for?"

Their eyes stayed connected for several long moments, each unwilling to look away, but then the fury in Vegeta's expression melted away and was replaced by a pensive look. He stood straight for a moment, eyes unfocused, then with a grunt turned his back to Gohan and walked away. Gohan let him leave. He had pushed him enough.

Gohan smirked. Vegeta was progressing to a Nice Guy much quicker in this timeline than in his own. His warrior philosophy was holding him back, limiting his potential, but Gohan would change that. He would change it because, in the end, Vegeta had turned out to have a heart, and had chosen to try protecting the Earth instead of destroying it, and even though he had suffered unimaginably under Frieza's tyranny, he had begun to learn to let go of his greed and hate.

Gohan could see it already. His time here on Earth, away from the brutish life demanded by the Planet Trade Organization, was curbing his violent nature. And though his life's goal of killing Frieza by his own hand had been taken from him, Vegeta had instantly found a newer—and Gohan would like to say a little bit healthier—goal, which was to prove his worth as the Prince of Saiyans by besting Goku in a competition of power. And Gohan was pretty sure Vegeta would get a kick out of hitting him a few times too, especially since he was six years old and had already achieved the transformation.

But the way he tried to achieve his goal was based on the wrong philosophy. A Saiyan's power came not from their bodies—which were strong—but instead from their amazing ability to manipulate their life force, the transcendental power that allowed them to fly, to control energy blasts, and to even travel through time. He needed to learn the power of a peaceful heart, a philosophy that had never been taught in his martial style. Goku had always bested him because Goku knew how to connect with his own life force and guide it to achieve his will, while Vegeta and the other Saiyans had tried to command it by brute force.

It would be difficult for the Saiyan Prince, Gohan knew, as Vegeta's heart was anything but peaceful. But Gohan could see how he was moving in the right direction, and Gohan would aid him as best he could, as Vegeta and he were bound by blood and circumstance—kindred spirits, in a way.

_And he is so much like Trunks._

The thought made him smile, for a moment at least. While the others may not understand Gohan's actions, Trunks would have. And somehow that made it all right.

Gohan looked down at the piece of cake he had brought, then picked it up and ate it. Vegeta didn't know what he was missing—it really was a delicious cake.

_His plan had worked _perfectly_._

_xDBZx_

The day of the interview had dawned. Gohan woke from a peaceful rest. The room Bulma had provided him had been very nice, with an extremely comfortable bed and a window that looked down upon the Capsule Corp. park.

Breakfast was a rather quiet affair. Dr. Briefs sat reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee in hand, the cat on his shoulder ever now and again reaching out to poke the liquid with one of its paws. Bunny hummed a happy tune as she served Gohan his breakfast and gave him a good luck kiss on the cheek. Bulma mirrored her father, though instead of a newspaper she was reading an article from a science journal, every now and again underlining one thing or writing something in the margin. Chichi was fussing over Gohan's appearance, which everyone—Gohan included—had assured her was fine. Vegeta was not present, though Gohan sensed that he was once again in the spaceship gravity room.

Bulma checked her watch and motioned for Gohan to get up. "Time to go, kiddo, we've got a little bit of a ride ahead of us before we reach the university."

Gohan nodded and followed her and his mother, with Dr. Briefs and Bunny trailing behind.

"Aren't you coming?" asked Gohan to Dr. Briefs.

"No, not today," he replied. "Besides, you wouldn't want me there: when the Dean and I get together, well, I've heard that our conversations are boring and very, very long. Just be respectful and honest and everything will be fine."

He stuck out his hand and Gohan shook it, which was rather funny as Dr. Briefs's hand was twice as large as his own. "Thank you very much for everything, Dr. Briefs."

"It was my pleasure, Gohan," he said with an amiable smile, "just remember us down here at Capsule Corporation when you are publishing in all the top journals."

He stepped aside and Bunny swooped in to give him a large hug and another kiss. He thanked her too, then stepped into the hovercopter with Bulma and his mother. As he sat down in his seat he looked out the window and saw Vegeta leaning in the open doorframe of the ship, looking at him. He then turned and went back inside, but Gohan had gotten the message.

_I guess Vegeta considered my advice._

_xDBZx_

Gohan hadn't been to Orange Star City very many times, but one particular occurrence was stuck in his memory. It had been after the Z Fighters had died, and it was recently after Gohan had achieved the Super Saiyan transformation. He had been tracking the Androids, trying to find their weaknesses so that he could prevent more innocent deaths. Their trail of destruction had lead him here to Orange Star City, the educational center of the continent. Orange Star Primary, Orange Star High, Orange Star University—all the top schools were located in this city, which meant that there was a high population of families here.

There might as well have been a sign that said _Androids, please kill us!_

Gohan had never seen such slaughter before. In the span of ten seconds Orange Star High was vaporized along with everyone inside. Orange Star Primary followed right after. The Androids had then made their way to Orange Star University.

It was a large campus in the city center, a collection of thirty-two buildings with some being more than four centuries old.

Panic had spread, and the people on the campus had not known where to flee. The Androids had taken their time, personally walking through every hallway of every building, searching until every single person was killed. Gohan had watched, and waited, knowing that he was nowhere strong enough to stop them, but feeling his blood boil in animalistic rage.

He attacked the Androids with his newfound powers and was summarily given the worst beating of his life. He had been in so much pain, and when the beating was over the Androids had stood over his broken form, smiling in their maniacal way, and debating over what they were going to do with him.

"I say we kill him," said Eighteen, and a ball of light formed on her fingertip. Her eyes narrowed in sadistic pleasure, her expression becoming hard and merciless, and Gohan's heart raced in fear, knowing that he was about to die.

"No, I have a better idea, Eighteen," said Seventeen. He crouched down to be closer to Gohan's level and gave him a compassionless smile.

"I want you to listen to me. It's not often we come across someone crazy enough to fight us. It really is hopeless, you see. But I like you, kid. You've got guts, and you're a little less easy to kill than everyone else. So I'm going to let you live, and in return you're going to be my entertainment." He looked up at Eighteen. "Sound good, sis?"

She looked Gohan over for a moment, a vulture over a dying animal, then smiled. She brought her foot up and stomped on Gohan's leg, breaking it. He cried out in pain.

"It sounds perfect."

"Gohan!"

The call cut through his thoughts, and Gohan realized he had been standing on the steps leading to Briefs Hall, the newest building on campus and where the department of sciences was located, lost in thought. That was happening far too frequently.

His mother was looking at him worriedly, as was Bulma. "Feeling nervous again?"

"Maybe a little bit," he responded, then quickly moved inside the building. He was met by two men. One was very tall and thin, with small glasses perched on his nose and a bit of gray in his hair. The other was shorter, with a bald patch on top of his head and a wide, friendly face. Both were dressed nicely and greeted him amiably. The taller one introduced himself as Dr. Hekoe, while the Dean was known as Dr. Brown. Gohan introduced himself and his mother, while Bulma was greeted by her first name by both.

"Well then," said the Dean as he looked at Gohan and turned to his counterpart. "Let's get this started. If you will follow me, Mr. Son, we will have the interview in my office. Bulma, I would appreciate if you could show Mrs. Son around the building."

They parted ways, both Bulma and his mother giving him a thumbs up.

The interview passed uneventfully, with the Dean himself admitting that it really was just a formality and more of an opportunity to ask Gohan about himself. He was a kind man, as was Dr. Hekoe, and they seemed to be eager to get him working.

Afterward, they took a walk through Dr. Hekoe's lab, which Gohan found extremely interesting. They had all the latest equipment including a top of the line supercomputer and electron microscope for DNA sequencing—both of which happened to be manufactured by Capsule Corporation.

"Many options are available to us, but we encourage the development of new techniques. You will be working under me on prophylactic technologies."

"I read about the new nucleoside analogue with more than five orders of magnitude preference by reverse transcriptase."

"Yes," said Dr. Hekoe, "that was my associate Dr. Jung—ah, speak of the devil."

A severe, aquiline man walked in through the door at that moment, and Dr. Hekoe called for him. He made his way over.

"Dr. Jung, this is Mr. Son, the newest addition to our team."

"A pleasure," said Dr. Jung stiffly. He shook Gohan's hand, and for a fleeting moment Gohan felt a chill run down his spine. They broke contact soon after, and Dr. Jung excused himself to get back to work. Gohan watched his back as he retreated, eyes narrowed.

_What are you hiding, Dr. Jung?_

"Don't worry about him," said Dr. Hekoe, "he's always a bit brusque, though he's extremely bright. Let's move on, shall we?"

They finished up walking through the lab, with Dr. Hekoe talking excitedly about one thing or another. Gohan nodded, and smiled, and asked questions at the appropriate times, but kept thinking about the dark feeling he had received from Dr. Jung. It was sinister, and not a feeling a normal man would ever cause in Gohan.

With the tour finished, Gohan and Dr. Hekoe retreated back to the main floor of the building, where Gohan met up with his mother and Bulma. They asked him how he liked the building and the facilities, and he told them he couldn't be happier.

"Dr. Hekoe!" a voice called.

Dr. Hekoe turned to see who had spoken and then broke out in a large smile. "Ms. Satan, it's a pleasure to see you!"

A young woman approached, small and petite with dark hair, a kind, open face, and bright blue eyes.

"This is Ariana Satan, a PhD candidate in immunology here at Orange Star University. She was the best student in my infectious disease course. Ariana, this is Gohan, the newest addition to my lab. He received perfect scores on all of his exams!"

Ariana bent down and stuck out her hand, which Gohan shook. She had a very kind smile. "Hi, it's very nice to meet you!"

"Likewise," said Gohan. He introduced both his mother and Bulma.

"How's the family?" asked Dr. Hekoe.

"Very well, thanks! Videl just had her sixth birthday party yesterday. I can't believe how fast they grow up."

"Six?" asked Chichi. "That's how old Gohan is, too!"

"Really?" asked Ariana. "That's amazing, working with Dr. Hekoe at six. I'm sure we'll be seeing great things from you, Gohan!"

"Thanks, ma'am," he said with a small smile.

"Anyway, Dr. Hekoe, I just wanted to stop and say hello before getting back to work. Have a nice day!"

Bulma spoke up. "We need to be heading out too. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Satan."

They all said their goodbyes and the group separated, with Gohan, Chichi, and Bulma heading outside to the grounds. Bulma activated a capsule and tossed it to the ground, where in a puff of smoke it revealed her hovercopter. They climbed in, with Gohan feeling glad that yet another part of his plan had been successful. He was one step closer to his goal.

xDBZx

At the end of the day Gohan was back at home, training with his father. While they were gone his father had decided to stay in his Super Saiyan form for as long as possible in order to better adjust to it, and Gohan had to say that his father had improved tremendously. He was hard pressed to score a hit on his father, even as a Super Saiyan himself.

Gohan swiped at Goku's head with his leg, missed, then threw a strong punch with his right hand.

"_Goku!"_

Goku stiffened, distracted by the call that echoed loudly inside his head, and received the full force of Gohan's punch.

"Ow!" he cried, then caught Gohan's next kick before it could do any damage, "time out, Gohan, time out!"

"What's wrong, Dad?" he asked, curious at Goku's distraction. He motioned for Gohan to wait a moment, before his expression changed to horror.

"It's King Kai," said Goku, "he said that Namek's been destroyed!"

Gohan's heart stopped mid-beat as his conversation with the Supreme Kai, whose wisdom he had disregarded, came to the forefront of his mind.

_"The possibilities of the future are made known to me," the Supreme Kai continued as he took another step forward, "but since your arrival I have seen only one."_

_A chill went down Gohan's spine, but he did not break his gaze. "Which is?"_

_"Death."_

The future had darkened once again.

xDBZx

The man could not tear his eyes away from the data screen. He had watched the videos over and over, obsessed with his new target. There was something different about him, something that made him more worthy of his time than his father. Something suspicious, something deceitful—which made him all the more interesting. The way the boy acted, the way pieces were falling into place before him as though guided by a master plan, the way his power was able to compete with—and surpass—his elders…

Yes, something was different about him. Gero himself had been a child prodigy, winning all of the math competitions on the continent—at least before his father had beaten his mother to death and nearly killed him, too. But not even Gero had had the ambitions that this child was displaying.

The boy was far too mature—and had wisdom far beyond his years. Gero opened up another video segment, an older one that he had watched many times before.

_"I'm so sorry, Gohan," Goku said. He got down on his knees and reached out to his son with trepidation. Gohan gave him a tired smile._

_"It's okay, Dad, I know what it's like. You can't control your anger. But you have to. You must destroy Frieza before he does something drastic._"

_"But even he must be given a chance to reform," said Goku._

_"No," replied Gohan, "he will never change. Sometimes, Dad, a person just can't be helped. Frieza is one of those. I know it goes against everything you believe in, but you must destroy him before he destroys us all."_

Gero stopped the video and zoomed in on Gohan's face. His expression was resigned—he _knew_ he was asking his father to betray his beliefs, but he had to do it anyway because there was no chance for redemption. Gohan, a boy, could see this yet Goku could not. The boy was governed by reason, not belief—and this made him a much more interesting enemy.

He moved away from the computer console and towards the stasis tubes that held his two newest creations. They were progressing nicely, and with his continued observation of the boy and the other fighters, their power capacity had been adjusted accordingly. They would make short work of the fighters, which they had been programmed to terminate. But that was not the endgame—not even close.

Gero continued walking through his lab until he came to his ultimate creation—his perfect achievement. Gero rested his hand against the cool glass of the tube, peering through the green liquid to the tiny embryo that was his greatest accomplishment. The endgame lay here, within this tube. This was how he would destroy Son Gohan, his final enemy.

xDBZx

Author's Note:

Here's Chapter 4. I hope it isn't too rough and that you find it enjoyable. Thanks for reading!


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